PDXPremier

I know they have they're share of delayed flights and maybe I'm just lucky, but AS has traditionally been on time (or early) for the flights I've taken on them...I fly them quite a bit and I can't remember the last AS flight I've taken that was cancelled either....they are among the best in my book, particularly compared to their counterparts over at UA and AA.

Eastbay1K

If the aircraft assigned to your flight is delayed, then I don't know what the big problem regarding the notification. I'd rather have a delay notification and then have an airplane swap later, resulting in an on time departure, than a delay. Query the OP's opinion had he arrived to the airport with no delay announced, but suffering the indignity of an hour's delay, because somewhere, sometime, during the course of the day, a substitute aircraft might have become available for the flight.

Try flying WN some time - the notifications can drive one cray-zee when it looks like a plane might be late many hours in advance, then maybe not so late, then maybe later again, and then maybe on time. The only notifications that change my behavio(u)r are CANCELED, or where I know the only possible inbound flight that could turn as my aircraft (unlikely on AS, usually a longhaul international, already in the air) is very delayed.

FiveMileFinal

That is exactly what happened last night. The only difference was the delay time.

Departure monitor screens said "on time", gate screens said "on time", app said "on time", website said "on time". Multiple gate agents working at the desk like the flight is about to start boarding. But there's no plane.

Everybody in the gate area knew we weren't leaving at our scheduled time. And they didn't even bother to update the departure screens until 20 minutes after they announced, at our original boarding time, that we were going to take the delay. People kept walking up saying "Are we boarding now?"

They called me at 14:05 yesterday with the message that oh yeah, the flight would be going out on time. The next status change was at our original boarding time of 20:15. The scheduled departure time was 20:55.

I couldn't care less about the delay itself. That should be obvious. But why even bring American into it? We already know they're a ratchet airline, like every other airline in the US. I've been seated in an American plane with the door closed, ready to push back, and gotten a message that my flight has been delayed 3 hours. I expect American to pull shenanigans like this.

But when I'm on an Alaska plane I gotta hear about how for the 12th year in a row they're the best blah blah blah blah. You don't know for over 6 hours whether or not you're gonna be able to swap in another plane and crew at one of your hubs to do a run. But you're the "best airline".

This ain't it, chief.