Dec 4, 2022, 8:20 pm
Last edit by: dayone
Suggested Questions to Be Asked of AS Executives by In-Person Attendees
What was submitted from Remote participants:
Link to the presentation: Alaska Airlines Flyer Forum 2022 - YouTube
- The Elite Upgrade Processor does not upgrade at the elite windows when upgrade space is available and often process the upgrade list inconsistently when it does run. This has been a problem for well over a year. When will this be fixed?
- What are the plans for overall network growth (% increase in flights) for 2023 and 2024? Is the focus more flights to existing cities?
- What are the growth plans for SFO? LAX?
- What are the plans for Dallas Love Field (currently only one flight daily to SEA and SFO)?
- Please describe what *if any* plans exist for improving SEA ops in winter weather conditions … the chaos that has rippled throughout the entire system for nearly a week after the last four or five wx events — many of which actually didn’t develop as badly as initially forecast — has left a *very* bad impression of all aspects of AS operations and management
- Going forward, will AS allow mixing partner award flights? Like SEA-LHR on BA, then LHR-KUL on MH on a single ticket?
- Regarding Partner Award availability, are there any plans to make it easier for Seattle-based members to get to major U.S. gateways (e.g., LAX, DFW, ORD). In other words: why is there rarely/never award space at the right level to us get to these gateways?
- What are the expansion plans for PAE? Are Spokane and Portland possibilities?
What was submitted from Remote participants:
- How dependent on the network growth plan is the MAX assembly and delivery schedule?
- What will it take to display "real" EQMs (e.g. No California Bonus) and AS metal segments required for elite tier status in the Alaska App?
- A round robin question to each executive, non-binding answer of course, what airport would each exec like to see a new Alaska Lounge at?
Link to the presentation: Alaska Airlines Flyer Forum 2022 - YouTube
AS In-Person (and Online) Flyer Forum with Alaska Airlines Executives
Nov 21, 2022, 11:47 am
#106
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Sea
Programs: AS MVPG
Posts: 28
I received maybe 100 uninvites, and got promised 5,000 miles and an apology.
Nov 21, 2022, 12:31 pm
#107
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AS MVPG, DL KM, Bee Six, Bonvoy Plat, Avis PC, Natl Exec, Greyhound Road Rewards Z"L
Posts: 16,665
I've been really bad at checking my email over the last week (not to mention this got directed into my promotions folder). I got the online webcast invite a week ago and just signed up.
-J.
-J.
Nov 21, 2022, 12:45 pm
#108
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: SFO/SJC/OAK/STS
Programs: Alaska MVPG, Delta PM, AA EXP, Wannabe SkyWest 1K
Posts: 644
Would love to know current thinking about California. I don't care about tougher lounge access, but don't want to be forced onto UA or WN due to schedule cuts.
Nov 21, 2022, 1:27 pm
#109
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SEA
Programs: AS 100K, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 876
I've got an actual confirmation to the in-person with a note to let them know if I cancel so they can use the waitlist. Anyone else going so we can have a FT .........err...constructive criticism section?
Nov 21, 2022, 2:32 pm
#110
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: SAN
Programs: AS Mileage Plan 100k, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 991
Don't want to torpedo this thread into a "California Plans" post, but I continue to think how bizarre it is that they have Flight Pass, the CA EQM Bonus, etc all seeming to drive California numbers up, but continue to cut service. It's amazing dissonance.
Nov 21, 2022, 2:45 pm
#111
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,602
I would love to drive "California numbers up" including my own, but it has been increasingly difficult to do so. I am curious if "we" (those Californians with status drops) will get early 2023 offers. It is sort of (ok, not really, but it did spark a memory) like when I closed my public-facing business many years ago, and the Yellow Pages kept pestering me with "great deals" and I kept telling them "I'm out of business." This is to say, you can promo us until the end of days, but without convenient and dependable air service, we still can't fly you as much as we otherwise would.
Nov 21, 2022, 3:02 pm
#112
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Bay Area, California
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold (ex-75K), Bonvoy Titanium, Recovering United 1K
Posts: 338
Has Alaska ever held a similar forum focused specifically on California? Perhaps, actually in California?
Nov 21, 2022, 3:04 pm
#113
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Bonvoy LT Titanium (x SPG LT), IHG Spire, UA Silver
Posts: 5,844
They have been treading water for years now in CA and as long as enough people keep hoping that service will increase and don't mind connecting through SEA at flight time, they have accomplished their goal. Maybe in mid to late 2024, if other airlines haven't already stepped in and taken even more of their market share by then, they will be ready to at least stop cutting and potentially start adding a route here or there.
Nov 21, 2022, 3:24 pm
#114
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,602
I'd rather have candor than delicious frosting on a pile of liver and onions. Given the amount of TV ads recently and local sports sponsorships, one can hope that AS wants the Bay Area to work, once it has enough pilots and planes, and ground support that will show up for work. One can also hope that OAK gets a bit of love again, or at least a little bit of like. I'm not holding any breath for that one.
Nov 21, 2022, 4:37 pm
#115
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Bay Area, California
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold (ex-75K), Bonvoy Titanium, Recovering United 1K
Posts: 338
Good to know. I came in through VX, although way back in the 90's I used to fly a lot of AS metal crediting to AA (750K lifetime) between SJC and SEA. Had I known so many years later that I'd be an AS flyer I would have credited to AS and be at MM. (though not sure what that would do for me)
Nov 21, 2022, 4:54 pm
#116
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,619
Pre pandemic Southwest left the door wide open to competitors in California with $250 fares in the last week before departure. That door is now mostly closed with the most common off-peak walk up fares below $120. That pricing fits the leisure market. Even peak hours flights within California seem to have mostly leisure passengers. It’s very different from 2019.
Nov 21, 2022, 6:27 pm
#117
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: SAN
Programs: AS Mileage Plan 100k, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 991
Pre pandemic Southwest left the door wide open to competitors in California with $250 fares in the last week before departure. That door is now mostly closed with the most common off-peak walk up fares below $120. That pricing fits the leisure market. Even peak hours flights within California seem to have mostly leisure passengers. It’s very different from 2019.
It's still to the point that work which uses Concur for trave, does not factor in Southwest when determining "lowest logical fare" for business travel approvals.
Nov 23, 2022, 9:08 am
#118
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,123
I would argue that AS and Southwest are targeting different markets. I for one would jump ship to *A with United before Southwest. UA has been upping their game in San Diego slowly but surely. But southwest with no F/J product, no assigned seats, and famously "no frills" is not what I am looking for when I have to fly for work.
It's still to the point that work which uses Concur for trave, does not factor in Southwest when determining "lowest logical fare" for business travel approvals.
It's still to the point that work which uses Concur for trave, does not factor in Southwest when determining "lowest logical fare" for business travel approvals.
Nov 23, 2022, 11:08 am
#119
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,602
I would argue that AS and Southwest are targeting different markets. I for one would jump ship to *A with United before Southwest. UA has been upping their game in San Diego slowly but surely. But southwest with no F/J product, no assigned seats, and famously "no frills" is not what I am looking for when I have to fly for work.
It's still to the point that work which uses Concur for trave, does not factor in Southwest when determining "lowest logical fare" for business travel approvals.
It's still to the point that work which uses Concur for trave, does not factor in Southwest when determining "lowest logical fare" for business travel approvals.
Nov 23, 2022, 11:17 am
#120
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
Nonetheless, WN is a big player in the short hop business market, and these folks "aren't too proud" about not sitting in F, or having a lounge, etc. They're the type that get to the airport as late as possible, get their preferred seat type either by status or paying $20 extra, and would rather fly OAK or the secondary airports than go out of their way to LAX or SFO, etc. The bigger competition (and not really big, but it takes out some incremental higher fare folks) is JSX in the secondary / convenient airport department for business and higher spend leisure travelers.
Bingo, I saw a pax with UA 1K brag tag on a Friday 535am LAX-OAK flight. He was probably flying WN to work, and I was flying WN to catch my 8am class.
And that's the only flight that will work, 6am LAX-SFO AS is not an option. JSX has limited frequency, so WN is still dominating the norcal-socal market.
