Adam1222

If my family's city was under zombie attack, I wouldn't be spending hours complaining about the tone of an agent who didn't get me a free ticket change on a ticket I had schemed to get. When an agent said "35,000 miles" I would have said yes immediately. Or I would've booked another ticket on my own after the first phone call.
The fact that you tried HUACA three times but the fourth time you swear you weren't does not seem relevant.
I hope your friend and his family survive the zombie attack regardless of your ability to get him a bargain business class flight.

MSPeconomist

Some people are friends with themselves.

jrl767

some people are suspicious of pretty much everybody else's motivations for (posting about) doing pretty much anything

travelinmanS

Nothing to be suspicious about. The obvious explanation is the guy booked an Alaska award on SQ for someone else when SQ just opened up their awards to AS. He took advantage of the not yet closed loophole that allowed him to book a SQ biz class ticket from PVG to CDG with a return to SIN for only 25k miles. (This loophole was widely advertised on Chinese language FT like sites) The loophole was quickly closed by AS and SQ because of people like the OP abusing it. Now that the person he sold the award to wants to get out of China earlier because of coronavirus he�s asked AS to make a fee free change. AS rightly told him to stuff it. That�s it.

eponymous_coward

In all sincerity, I would bet money if OP said “look, I was trying to get my friend a cheap business class ticket, I know it wa a loophole you closed and I don’t expect you to honor it if I change the ticket, can I change the ticket to Finnair coach and get him home sooner to Paris, I’m really concerned and so is he, I’ll pay the extra 7500 miles?”, it’s arguably a win win (OK, maybe not flying SQ J isn’t a win, but leaving earlier is, and AS doesn’t have this SQ inventory to pay for any more). I doubt OP would have to talk to five different AS agents to get this.

And if my friend said “look, you can either fly it as booked or it’s back of the bus now, sorry mate”, who wouldn’t be cool like that with a gift, right? Because it’s not like I paid for the ticket?

Anyways, best of luck getting your friend safe, OP.

s0ssos

Not exactly. Even though your situation is different another person got their ticket locked, cause they changed it 10 times ij the span of less than 2 weeks.
So Alaska does do more significsnt punishment (but ahlgain, their case is different)

bmvaughn

I'm glad Alaska said no. Have to cut down on abuse of the system so that those who play within the rules don't get further harmed.

Find a coach ticket out, problem solved.

enzian

I am sorry, I am confused. The OP refers to "we" and then a friend; how many mistake tickets are involved here? Is he not flying himself? And are the pax (1 or 2) in China now and want to get out ASAP.? If so, why not jump on the 35,000 mile offer?

Often1

One should not confuse the question of whether AS ought to help get the "friend" out of Zombieland with how much it may properly charge.

Others are paying the going tab and so should OP's "friend".

If I faced this mess, I would accept anything in any class on any aircraft with at least one sober pilot.

flyingstudent

Possible he sold the awards and didn't want to eat the additional 35k miles cost for 1 and possibly many more tickets.

jjmadison

While true, HUCA via text seems safer at avoiding red flags. I've been surprised that HUCAing via text always results in the agent saying they have no way to access what the previous agent worked on and/or discussed with me.

Not condoning overusing HUCA strategy... but can be necessary sometimes.

davistev

Alaska Airlines may have been sympathetic if the OP was the passenger but after the hoards of ticket brokers scammed them when SQ joined MP, I can see why "the computer said no."

My advice - stay in China, enjoy the fresh air, and enjoy the fantastic discounted ticket.

formeraa

Apparently, after the third time, someone noted that the OP had called in two previous times. AS feels that appropriate options were given. So, on the 4th call, it had been noted not to engage this customers with any further "options". It is simply a business decision on AS's part.

formeraa

You must ask the agent to "note it on the record". That is the only way the next agent will have any idea of what the first agent said.

For example, right after 9/11, United did a schedule change which affected my flight and had no other alternatives that day. The agent offered a full refund, if I couldn't switch dates. I asked the agent to please note the record and I would call back. Meanwhile, I checked other airlines and found a cheap fare on Continental. I called United back and asked for the full refund. The agent read the notes from the first agent and processed the refund.

eponymous_coward

And now airlines are shutting down their flights to China right and left...