In-Flight Service Reductions for January 2022
Jan 28, 2022, 11:07 am
#106
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: PDX, OGG or between the two
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 2,859
The funny thing is the FC bathroom on the B737 is really small and cramped compared to the ones at the back of the plane. Admittedly, neither are large but the one in FC has terrible height clearance and at 6'4" I'm always standing there with my head crammed against the ceiling. And, with only one it can get overrun even with the small number of people.... and then there's the pilots getting up to stretch their legs so an FA "stands guard" for +/- 10 minutes. IMO, the best bathroom situation is actually being seated near the back of the plane. Short walk, several to choose from, taller, no pilots standing in the way AND apparently now that's where I've got to go for drinks #2 - #10 
Jan 28, 2022, 12:04 pm
#107
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 5,953
funny about that red rope but people were less likely to move the rope and walk forward then to push the curtain aside. The red rope was one of the things I liked about the Virgin planes before they were reconfigured.
Jan 28, 2022, 7:39 pm
#110
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: Alaska Air Miles
Posts: 89
The funny thing is the FC bathroom on the B737 is really small and cramped compared to the ones at the back of the plane. Admittedly, neither are large but the one in FC has terrible height clearance and at 6'4" I'm always standing there with my head crammed against the ceiling. And, with only one it can get overrun even with the small number of people.... and then there's the pilots getting up to stretch their legs so an FA "stands guard" for +/- 10 minutes. IMO, the best bathroom situation is actually being seated near the back of the plane. Short walk, several to choose from, taller, no pilots standing in the way AND apparently now that's where I've got to go for drinks #2 - #10
Jan 28, 2022, 7:47 pm
#111
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,720
Is it weird that I actually use my head against the ceiling to help balance when I’m standing in there? On transcons, I normally just use the bathrooms in the back of the plane to help stretch my legs (sometimes the FAs will tell me I can just use the front one, but the walking helps quite a bit).
Jan 28, 2022, 7:59 pm
#112
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,619
I basically treat the coach cabin on AS the way I treat WN. It’s fine for an hour or two, but beyond that, the big 3 are a better option. This “change” cements that opinion.
Still I’m generally happy with AS F service. I had a great flight back from Kona on New Years Day with outstanding service and the food was quite good too.
Still I’m generally happy with AS F service. I had a great flight back from Kona on New Years Day with outstanding service and the food was quite good too.
Jan 29, 2022, 1:50 am
#113
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: MVP100K, A-list, Marriott/IHG Plat, CHP525 Ticket Plat, CHP Solo Carpool 100K, Costco EXP, Tinder 1K
Posts: 819
Is it weird that I actually use my head against the ceiling to help balance when I’m standing in there? On transcons, I normally just use the bathrooms in the back of the plane to help stretch my legs (sometimes the FAs will tell me I can just use the front one, but the walking helps quite a bit).
I lean my head against the ceiling while using the front lavatory too. And most of the time I prefer walking to the rear, especially midair on a Transcon, so I can check the floor of all 3 rear lavatories and pick the cleanest one.
Jan 29, 2022, 10:08 am
#114
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,582
I will sometimes lean my head against my arm, which is holding a clean paper towel, against the curve in the ceiling for stability if the plane is shaking a bit. As far as bringing this around to the thread title, I'd expect that inflight service reductions should make the excuses quite limited for Y use of the F lav.
Jan 29, 2022, 10:21 am
#115
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: BOS
Programs: Hyatt Glob/UA Gold
Posts: 612
Is it weird that I actually use my head against the ceiling to help balance when I’m standing in there? On transcons, I normally just use the bathrooms in the back of the plane to help stretch my legs (sometimes the FAs will tell me I can just use the front one, but the walking helps quite a bit).
Jan 29, 2022, 10:34 am
#116
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: AS 75K (OW), SK Silver (*A), UR, MR
Posts: 3,328
As much as I appreciate the noted logistics of a room too small to change your mind, I think I’ll skip breakfast this morning. 😛 But yes, I was once surprised that the F lav isn't bigger or gold plated.
Jan 29, 2022, 10:38 am
#117
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,752
This bathroom talk reminds me of an old Married with Children episode where Al Bundy was building a "man's" bathroom designed with 4 rolls of toilet paper holders. Anyway, the int'l F lavatory is what I imagine when referring to "F" latrines, where, if one were inclined (I'm certainly not but to each his own), after dinner a pax can take a magazine, stroll in there, and leisurely take care of business with ample room.
Jan 29, 2022, 10:45 am
#118
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,780
where would you draw the line, and why? And how would you want that enforced? Just the first four or five rows of Coach? And what happens if someone from the 7th row in Coach comes up, then someone from the 8th row, then someone from the 10th, then the 2nd row in Coach... And when and how do you draw the line? What do you tell the person who you deny coming forward and why?
/s
Completely agree with you, of course.
Jan 29, 2022, 10:47 am
#119
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Canada
Programs: AS, DL, UA, Hyatt, SPG
Posts: 2,574
I have flown a mix of flights over last 7 days, some shorter hops, and a couple of 4+ hour flights.
On one 4+ hour flight in First, only one beverage service was offered (before the meal) and no refills with the meal (I could see most folks like myself also choking down their food with nothing to wash it down with). No refills were offered (to anyone) but on specific request one of the flight attendants from Economy got me a second beverage some time after the meal was cleared while we he was guarding the galley for the pilots to use the restroom.
This contrasted to a return flight where the F flight attendant couldn't have been more accommodating and personable, and wine was flowing freely and double mini's offered automatically to all ordering cocktails and near constant cabin patrols.
It's very much crew dependent on the day it seems these days as to the experience you'll get with Alaska.
On one 4+ hour flight in First, only one beverage service was offered (before the meal) and no refills with the meal (I could see most folks like myself also choking down their food with nothing to wash it down with). No refills were offered (to anyone) but on specific request one of the flight attendants from Economy got me a second beverage some time after the meal was cleared while we he was guarding the galley for the pilots to use the restroom.
This contrasted to a return flight where the F flight attendant couldn't have been more accommodating and personable, and wine was flowing freely and double mini's offered automatically to all ordering cocktails and near constant cabin patrols.
It's very much crew dependent on the day it seems these days as to the experience you'll get with Alaska.
Jan 29, 2022, 12:20 pm
#120
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,582
I tried to post this as a reply to the article on the front of the website, but apparently there was an objectionable word in there:
My main objection to things like this is...well, frankly, in at least some cases passengers paid for a ticket that had "X" included (whatever X happens to be...alcoholic beverages, an in-flight meal, etc.) and now it's not there. If you've got a direct/non-stop flight this can be worked around to a large extent, but if you've got a bad connection (not exactly implausible in a lot of cases) then the loss of the meal (and thus potentially having to spring for an airport-price meal) can easily be a hit of $15-30.
So even stipulating that this is "actually" for health/safety reasons (versus being a staffing/supply chain issue), the "right" answer would be for AS to offer pax some form of a voucher/reimbursement (potentially in the form of a credit with a "long tail" expiration) up to a given value for grabbing a meal at either their departure or connecting airport. Bluntly, if they can't/won't provide on-board meals for these longer flights, they can at *least* deal with it and comp folks a trip to the airport McDonald's.
My main objection to things like this is...well, frankly, in at least some cases passengers paid for a ticket that had "X" included (whatever X happens to be...alcoholic beverages, an in-flight meal, etc.) and now it's not there. If you've got a direct/non-stop flight this can be worked around to a large extent, but if you've got a bad connection (not exactly implausible in a lot of cases) then the loss of the meal (and thus potentially having to spring for an airport-price meal) can easily be a hit of $15-30.
So even stipulating that this is "actually" for health/safety reasons (versus being a staffing/supply chain issue), the "right" answer would be for AS to offer pax some form of a voucher/reimbursement (potentially in the form of a credit with a "long tail" expiration) up to a given value for grabbing a meal at either their departure or connecting airport. Bluntly, if they can't/won't provide on-board meals for these longer flights, they can at *least* deal with it and comp folks a trip to the airport McDonald's.
