Phoebe25

I fly Alaska a lot. Booked a trip from Hawaii to PDX that departs next month. I booked seats last May, first class seats. I prefer to fly Hawaiian but Alaska had a non stop flight from Kauai so I went with them. A couple of months after booking they switched the flight to include a layover in Seattle. A bummer but still okay. Now they tell me they’re looking for volunteers to give up their first class seats and if they don’t get enough we can be kicked out of our seats to the back of the plane. Only other option is a redeye that leaves at midnight and still stops in Seattle. No thanks. I can’t sleep on a plane without lie flat seats. I should have booked HA to begin with because now of course the price has gone up a lot and my preferred seats are gone. They told me they can reimburse me the cost of my ticket. Um, I hope so. They should also pay me for having to pay almost double now to switch to HA. Has this happened to anyone else?

Resplendent

I've never heard of someone on paid F fare being asked to voluntarily downgrade to Y on the same flight. Are you sure that's what they're saying, or are they just asking for any volunteers to take a later flight?

notquiteaff

It’s been reported before, when the aircraft type changes and the number of F seats is less than originally expected.

Aircraft Change Removed Me From First Class

Notification of F oversold on a flight two months from now

I haven’t read through those older threads again, but perhaps they provide some info on how much compensation AS is offering.

jsguyrus

Sounds like a plane swap from a 900 or Max to an 800. This is why you should never ever book row 4 as these seem to be the passengers that get the downgrade (no row 4 on a 737-800).

Phoebe25

I booked row 2. They didn’t specify what type of aircraft it was changing to, just said a different version of an 800. To clarify, they said they would put me on a different flight in first class but the only available is a redeye. If I stay on same flight I’ll have to move out of first class if they don’t get enough volunteers to take a different flight. Shouldn’t they go by how long ago someone booked a flight? When I booked, nobody else was in first class.

philemer

AS did not force you to buy another ticket elsewhere. That was/is your choice. I'm sorry you had to go through this experience.

Phoebe25

they kind of did force me by not keeping the flight I paid for and me not wanting to cancel my trip altogether.

jrl767

all AS -800s are 12F, so this is just nonsense

I have no reason to actually suspect this, but I’m starting to wonder whether AS has an unwritten policy that allows some unpublished level of “super-elite” passenger to bounce an F passenger (either paid or upgraded)

Phoebe25

I thought it was nonsense too, never see one with less than 12 first class. I’m also wondering what’s going on, seems fishy. They did offer additional compensation when I first questioned the whole thing. When I called back to tell them a redeye flight wouldn’t work, that’s when I was told if not enough people volunteer to downgrade their seat or change flights then I would be downgraded.

PDXPremier

To my knowledge AS only flies -800s to and from LIH so the number of seats in F is always 12. It could be a simple overbooking due to required crew deadheading or an air marshal or the system allowing too many booked passengers. I personally would ask for first class on the next daytime flight the next day, hotel compensation, and at least a $500 discount code. My wife and daughter were booked in F on MCI-SEA last January and got bumped off the flight because it went from a 16 seat -900 to a 12 seat -800 and there were no available seats in coach where myself and my son were. We each got $350 discount codes, reimbursed for our entire 3 day weekend rental car dropping at OMA, and booked on a flight out of OMA. I think the offer was $500 if we would have just waited until the next day to leave MCI but we all had work/school.

notquiteaff

Did they tell you why you would be downgraded if not enough volunteers were found? Perhaps they threatened everyone they called with a downgrade?

What additional compensation did they offer?

Do you have status with Alaska?

zrs70

How, exactly are they telling you this? Did they call you? Did they send you an email?

The great thing about schedule changes is that it gives you a LOT of power. Don’t let AS tell you what flight they want you on. You tell THEM what you want. Have them put you on the nonstop out of HNL or OGG to PDX. Have them connect you to those airports at their cost. (If they don’t, it’s still less than buying a new ticket on HA.

They will work with you to keep you happy.

mixmastermark

I assume you have elite status since you fly AS a lot?

How many people in your party? If you're solo and in Row 2, I wouldn't worry, if it were me.

I'm not sure exactly how AS processes their involuntary F downgrades, but my guess is that fare class and elite status weigh more than purchase date if not enough volunteers. Someone else may know more.

But if there's any route with other passenger(s) happy to volunteer to extend their trip, Kauai is certainly near the top!

However, just a heads up, if everything is not sorted before the flight goes under airport control, since LIH is an outstation with contract employees at the gate/counter, I would be polite but firm to ensure you receive appropriate compensation according to AS's rules if they downgrade / reaccommodate you. Hopefully it doesn't get to that point.

Regardless, I hope you don't let it diminish your enjoyment of Kauai.

Keep us updated how it plays out.

anteater

Sign me up. 🤙🏻🥃

Waitlisted

If it’s row 2 as you say, there is a good chance it’s a flight Marshall. Row two is their favorite spot to sit it seems.