stephem

You should read more carefully, I’m not out $450 tickets, rather I wont let AS get the inventory back to sell them for this amount. $450 is what tickets cost on this route 1-3 days before departure and if i cancelled my 4, then AS would open 4 more seats up for sale and sell them, making another $1900. My tickets were less than $150, so thats what i am out.

btw, my kids have every symptom except the fever for CV, and i am starting to doubt that fever happens in all patients. Its a fluid situation and not clear at all in the Seattle metro area that we dont have a bunch of undiagnosed cases hiding in plain sight. I felt it was the responsible thing to do, not to mention i didnt want to expose poeple in California if there is indeed an unknown spread here. Time will tell whether the airlines should have created policies that incentivized self quarantining.

stephem

But they could have sold my seat a 3rd time earlier this week i cancelled. And for my return, all classes are zeroed out, so if i cancelled now, they would resell them again. Follow the SEA-PSP-SEA routes and you will see, weekend flights zero out and you will consistently get a seeking volunteers email. This is not as revenue neutral to AS as you think.

Finkface

So who cares if they resell your seat? That is exactly what helps keep prices down for all of us. It doesn’t cost you a single cent more or less whether you cancel today or no show tomorrow yet you want to stick it to ‘em because they won’t give you your money back. Rather than give someone else a chance to buy a seat on that flight, you are going to show AS who’s boss or worse, fake a disease (or lie about your kids’ ear infections) just to save $150. Petty and spiteful. Not a good look. And we wonder why kids don’t have a moral compass these days with role models like this.

VegasGambler

Wow, I seem to have struck a nerve. The coughing suggestion was tongue-in-cheek.

But, in fairness, his kids are unfit to fly. The airlines have a policy where you get charged a change fee if you declare yourself unfit to fly and stay home, but there's no change fee if you show up and they declare you unfit. The main problem with this suggestion is that dragging sick kids to the airport to save a change fee is borderline child abuse; I don't really suggest that he do this.

HIFlya

Thanks for the information, I was curious about how normally the change fee is taken by AS. If I am reading the waiver announcement correctly, if you book a ticket within the window, and then decide to cancel/change, the fee is waived if your new travel occurs by 12/31/2020? I was wondering how they would enforce the requirement that the new travel occurred by 12/31/2020 if normally a change fee is collected up front.

anteater

Not you but to the OP: rules are rules except for me.

It is funny reading people’s comments on here. OP admits to sticking it to Alaska and when called out on it back steps..

dieselbear

Related email received just now.

Dieselbear,

I wanted to personally reach out to our loyal group of flyers and address the current situation with the coronavirus. Every day brings new developments related to the virus, and the uncertainty can be unsettling. Our hearts go out to those who’ve been impacted.

Please be assured that Alaska Airlines is closely monitoring the situation, including conducting daily briefings with some of the best medical experts in the nation. Our top priority is always the safety of you and our employees. Check out our blog on the extra steps we are taking to keep our guests safe with additional cleaning and updates to onboard procedures.

At Alaska, we are optimistic about the future and hope you feel that way too. We launched our Peace of Mind policy so that you can take comfort in knowing that any ticket purchased after February 27, 2020 can be changed or canceled without a fee (applies for any travel through February 28, 2021). Today, we launched our biggest fare sale yet with fares starting as low as $20 one way* for travel between March 19, 2020 and May 20, 2020. And, we’ve got great deals to Hawaiʻi, New York and Florida starting at $99 one way.* We hope the combination of these great fares and our Peace of Mind policy will help those who want to travel this spring but are concerned their plans may change.

We understand that everyone is in a different place when it comes to what is best for you and your family. Just recently, Dr. Robert Redfield, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said “I just want to echo again that the risk is low—the risk is low. I encourage Americans to go about their life. That includes travel to California, Oregon and the state of Washington.”

In closing, some of you may know that my wife and I are blessed with eight children. We have a family trip to Hawaiʻi planned for spring break this year, and we can’t wait to go! We know things can change, but we are looking forward to our trip together as a family. Hopefully we will see some of you there.

Thank you for being a Mileage Plan™ member.

Andrew Harrison

pcoll

Wow, actual reply from Andrew Harrison. Color me impressed. Have seen him many times onboard. Did not know he has 8 children, that is amazing. Perhaps, that is why he spends so much time traveling? 😆

nomiiiii

I'd like to understand the waiver rules as stated for a specific scenario:

I buy a Main (non-Saver) fare for say Seattle - LAX today. According to the terms it allows 1 change fee waived (although fare difference may apply).

Does that include the typical $50 same-day change fee? E.g. for a Main fare bought with this waiver, can it be used to have one free same day change (and typically for same day changes fare difference is already waived, so basically a totally free same-day change for tickets bought this month)?

overlord207

Just an update, had 4 saver fares for the next 2 weeks booked in Jan. Was able to refund them all to my credit card.
Didn't have to "fake" illness or anything, just the uncertainty around traveling in the SEA area at the moment.
(Flying out of SEA).

StrandedinLA

"If you purchase a nonrefundable First Class or Main fare between February 27, 2020 and March 31, 2020 for travel through February 28, 2021"

Why extend the travel window(2/28/21) to a time that you can't travel because of the booking window(3/31/20)?

metaldirtnskin

This was the same email we all got. I have a combined business/pleasure trip coming up in about 10 days - which I fully intend to take, unless my employer tells me I can't go or I get sick between now and then - and for which I bought the tickets on 2/15.

I admit to being a little annoyed that they are only starting the waiver period at 2/27, since it seems less like they're being compassionate and more like they just want to keep their aluminum sausage factory going. But there's no sense getting too spun up about it, particularly as (1) it was a cheap ticket, and (2) I have largely given up on AS for business travel anyway.

edit: now I see above that people have had some success getting refunds... maybe it won't come to that, but that's encouraging at least.

Ukalady

Thanks, overlord207. for the info. I have round trip SMF to KOA in early May for two (one using the $99 Companion Fare bonus) --booked the first week of January. I thought I'd heard last week that those tickets would be extended, if requested, at no change fee, but the email tonight indicates only tickets purchased Feb. 27 and beyond.

We're still undecided about going--a month might make a difference--so your experience with a phone call for a refund is positive news.

boycruz

anyone have any luck changing "in progress" trips to come home earlier

flight is empty

overlord207

Try to call, they have been very helpful.. I have refunded 4 saver fares and credited 1 F trip to my wallet. They also offered to change them (saver) if I wanted to do that