Do Alaska 737s always smell?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: ANC
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 1,843
Do Alaska 737s always smell?
I'm a fairly loyal DL flyer and have maintained status on DL for the last few years and fly them 98% of the time. However, over the last 2 years I have had 2-3 trips per year for work reasons where my company books me on AS. It's no big deal. I live in ANC so AS is very prevalent here. However, I have noticed on each of the trips I have flown on AS the planes always smell "musty." The first few times I just happened to think we were on a plane that hadn't undergone a thorough cleaning prior to boarding. But it's noticeable on every trip. I just returned yesterday from an AS flight and the smell hits me as soon as I'm onboard. I flew DL the week prior and didn't notice anything. WN and TG in the not so distant past either and nothing compares to the smell of an AS 737. It's mostly a damp musty smell. Does anyone else know what I'm talking about? Overall I like AS. Friendly crews, much quicker boarding than DL, and really the only other negative thing I can say is that one must be "unplugged" for takeoff and landing. But the smell... it's really to the point I would pay a premium to avoid AS if possible.
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: ANC
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 1,843
Lol I'll have to compare my upcoming DL A330-900neo flight to see if it has the same "new plane" smell you are referring to. I sincerely hope not haha. To me, the smell is the complete opposite of anything new. Musky, damp, mildew-ish is what I get.
#4
#5
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: CO - Onepass Gold Elite--> UA - MileagePlus Gold Premier--> Silver --> AS - MileagePlan MVPGOLD!
Posts: 734
It's not you.
I'm a loyal Alaska flyer, and smell it all the time. It's... quite pungent. Like, it curls my nose hairs.
I find the smell to be worst near the windows.
And it's only on the newer airplanes, the -900ER's. I suspect it has something to do with the newer sidewall treatments, window reveals, shades, etc.
I never notice it on the non-Sky-Interior fleets, like the -700 and -800.
I'm a loyal Alaska flyer, and smell it all the time. It's... quite pungent. Like, it curls my nose hairs.
I find the smell to be worst near the windows.
And it's only on the newer airplanes, the -900ER's. I suspect it has something to do with the newer sidewall treatments, window reveals, shades, etc.
I never notice it on the non-Sky-Interior fleets, like the -700 and -800.
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: ANC
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 1,843
It's not you.
I'm a loyal Alaska flyer, and smell it all the time. It's... quite pungent. Like, it curls my nose hairs.
I find the smell to be worst near the windows.
And it's only on the newer airplanes, the -900ER's. I suspect it has something to do with the newer sidewall treatments, window reveals, shades, etc.
I never notice it on the non-Sky-Interior fleets, like the -700 and -800.
I'm a loyal Alaska flyer, and smell it all the time. It's... quite pungent. Like, it curls my nose hairs.
I find the smell to be worst near the windows.
And it's only on the newer airplanes, the -900ER's. I suspect it has something to do with the newer sidewall treatments, window reveals, shades, etc.
I never notice it on the non-Sky-Interior fleets, like the -700 and -800.
#7
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kirkland, WA
Programs: AS 75K,UA Gold 1.6MM, Hilton Dia, Marriott LT Plat, Hyatt Glb, Natl Exec, Hertz 5*
Posts: 3,657
Yes, the 900ERs do have that new plane smell. I was boarding a flight at 5:30am one morning at the S gates and after about 30 of us boarded, they stopped boarding and a mechanic and captain decided that there was a strange smell and ordered a replacement plane. We all de-boarded and hiked (LONG hike!) over to N gates to board a different plane! I never smelled anything different although a couple other people said they did. They said it had a sort of electrical smell so they were relieved.
#10
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AS, UA, WN, IHG Diamond Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, CET 7*
Posts: 3,284
#11
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AS MVPG75k
Posts: 330
#12
#13
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AS MVPG75k
Posts: 330
#14
Join Date: Apr 2018
Programs: Mileage Plan
Posts: 230