SteveinSTL

Hello PDX Alaska FF'ers!

Flight options have been greatly reduced from PDX during covid for direct flights, with the somewhat understandable goal of Alaska to preserve strength at their biggest hubs and feed traffic there. I get it, kind of. Yet I'm increasingly agitated at having to fly through SEA or LAX to get somewhere I used to be able to fly direct on. It's eliminated the fast same day trip option I used to have, and even 1 night trips are painful. When a 4 hour direct has been changed to a 7 hr connection, it's hard. I've found myself using SW, Zoom, or covid excuses as an alternate to flying. Consequently, my total mileage fell below my (prior) Gold MVP status, and promptly on Jan 1 it was reduced to MVP. Yes, I see the option now to re-up and earn it back, but dang, still painful. There was no slack given to PDX flyers, and I'll maintain all day long it's far harder to qualify from here than SEA.

So my take is this: flyers like me based in PDX didn't leave Alaska, they left us! I used to be fiercely loyal, and now I"m myeh towards them. Business is business, both ways.

For anyone keeping count, here's what I show as destinations that have zero to few non stops from PDX. Anyone with any credible backstory, or news of gaining back the flights we used to have, please share & give us hope! Add any I missed, or correct those I'm in error on.

Reduced non stops - PDX

DEN: 1x midday
SLC: 1x midday
TPA: 4x/week
DFW: 1x, early AM
LUV: 0 (used to be at least 2-3x/day)
HOU 0 - no service
IAH 0
LAX: 8 (that's where they want you going)
SFO: 0
BUR: 0 (used to be 3x/day)
PHX 3
LAS 5
MSP 0
MCO 2 - 1 redeye
ATL0
ORD 0
JFK 1
EWR 1
BOS 1
DCA 1
IAD 0
BWI 0
ANC 2
HNL 1
OGG 1
MIA 0
FLL: 0
SEA: 16 (clear message - you can reach the AS world from here)

No Europe, no Canada


Alaska Airlines cuts almost 200 flights at PDX | kgw.com

Alaska Airlines (NYSE: ALK) cuts nearly 200 flights at PDX, including MSP route - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Extraordinary1

Alaska has the majority in PDX by far: https://www.transtats.bts.gov/airpor...&pn44vr4=SNPgf

Comparing the market shares before and after the cuts, it does not seem like much has changed.

sfozrhfco

If another carrier works better for you, enjoy that carrier. No other carrier seems all that interested in adding lots of PDX flights either.

I guess this thread is to simply announce that the OP has come to the realization that one should not be blindly loyal when a carrier no longer services her/his needs?

steveholt

Also that OP is flying less and has not received the same benefits or status as a result.

Bretmd

There are 8 flights today.

Compared to all of those AS flights heading to Europe from other hubs?

SteveinSTL

[QUOTE=Bretmd;34939839]There are 8 flights today.

SFO correction: departures are actually 8 as stated, not zero. I stand corrected.

Calculon

And I'll maintain that outside of PDX and SEA, it's even harder.

SteveinSTL

Hello ExtraOrdinary1: look more closely at the ranking of top destinations: SEA is now tops and grew incredibly over PY.

Yet it's the lack of prior direct flights that I'm voicing in about. I used to fly regularly to LUV, to FLL, to DEN, to BUR and those are just not there anymore. AS used to have these, and has made a business decision to no longer. That's my point.

Calculon

I won't miss Alaska not having lie-flats on their Indonesia routes.

be_rettSEA

Add PDX/BUR to routes where there are still one frequency (maybe not daily, but looks to be several days per week).

Also dropped to MVP this year. LAX hasn't exactly been easy to remain loyal as it was before, but there are a lot of other options from here than PDX at least.

eponymous_coward

And here I thought that was WN�s stock symbol.

Speaking of WN, I don�t see them flying SEA/PDX-DAL�

AS Flyer

your posts are confusing and not at all accurate, full of made up numbers. You show cities AS has never flown to at all, let alone from PDX and the numbers next to the cities AS DOES fly to from PDX aren't accurate. Nevertheless, PDX has taken a hit since Covid but the business simply isn't there to add more than currently exists. Other airlines aren't tripping over themselves to add PDX flights either. When the business returns, the flights will as well.

PDXPremier

Non-stop: Less EQMs/RDMs/Slower path to elite status

Connections: More EQMs/RDMs/Faster path to elite status

Pro-tip: Book way in-advance when a nonstop is in the schedule and cross your fingers for a schedule change so you can switch to a connection for no extra $$$.

Nope, AS didn't leave PDX, they made it easier to collect miles and earn elite status so for that, I say, thank you very much

SeaLuggageLover

As someone who relocated recently to RNO where there are even fewer AS routes, I get your frustration but like you said, this is business. It is unlikely that AS is going to cut in-demand, profitable flights. They did the math and you have the opportunity to do the same. If AS is longer a good fit for you it's okay to give your loyalty to another airline.

Repooc17

PDX flyer complaining about reduced service.

NYC-based 75K flyer enters chat.