Major G

What?!! If we do, then I have been missing out on five years of free drinks!

This was the first time I have ever received a free drink in coach on AS and I fly over 75k a year.

As opposed to UA where I have more free drink coupons than I know what to do with.


Glenn

Alaska F/A

Major G, I'm not saying this is the case, but am just using your post as a lead-in to another issue onboard our flights...

Namely, the ONE comped drink to MVPG in MC which has quickly turned into an entitlement program from those few Golds who are demanding more than it was intended to be. Clearly a case of a few bad apples ruining a great idea for the vast majority of our valued elites.

Some hand their GOLD card over to someone else in the MC telling them to 'wave this at the FA for free drinks'. (Sheesh, someone even had the audacity to flip their Gold AMEX card at me...)

Some are ordering double after double (what, is this... In-n-Out?) then getting upset that "I'm a GOLD and ALL my drinks are free!!!"

Some order drinks for all their (non GOLD) friends and say "Their drinks are on me because *I* am a GOLD!"

Uh, sorry, but no. (and yes, I've seen ALL of those scenarios and then some)

This is strictly a recognition program from AS having the FAs greet the GOLDS and offer them ONE single cocktail on us as a way of saying "Thanks for flying with us today Mr. (or Ms.) Smith, may I get your first drink?". It's also meant to be far more personal than a simple drink coupon.

Alas we are having to find a different way to do this because of how the FAs are being treated by the few demanding GOLDS who are abusing this unique idea.

BOB W

I am very greatful that AS is showing us in the back some recognition. I would never attempt to pull this kind of stuff on a FA. How rude can you be!!!

I have been comped more than one drink on flights, but not because I asked for them. I've never shown my Gold card because I don't carry it with me & have always had the cash on the tray table when they came by. They just did not take it. I've never gotten the P pack or digi-player in the back. Honestly, as much as I fly, the digi player content is old & stale by the first week after they change the titles. But, that's another issue entirely.

eponymous_coward

Fair enough. I sometimes ask for a Picnic Pack in first class, because my flights are often SEA-LAS right around dinner time and I'm rushing to the airport at rush hour with no time to stop for food, and SEA-LAS is treated like a Bay Area flight (no snack, here's your ramekin of nuts), even though it's about 2 hours or more with delays, and I always get it... but I wouldn't complain if I had to buy it or wait until they offer them for sale in Y and sell to everyone who pays $5, and I don't expect it for free in Y (or Dig-e-players, or meals).

What I did say at the MVPG meeting in SEA a week ago was "make the Picnic Pack the snack for flights in first. It's good stuff."

I do show the Gold card for the free drink (handing it over with the $5, just in case), but that's because I usually don't get recognized in coach (maybe 1 out of the last 10 times I've been back there). I think the "Free Drink from the Captain" would be a great way to do this.

fooko2002

I was recently on SEA-EWR and EWR-SEA and the FAs were simply fantastic. They were very active in their efforts to recognize Golds in the MC. It was a simple offer of a free drink, but it was done in such a way that displayed sincere gratitude for your business.

I started joking with one FA upon boarding as she was standing in my seat as people were boarding. When the cart came around she struck up some conversation and I mentioned that the SEA-EWR was my Gold qualifying flight. She was very enthusiastic and said, "well then I think I better buy your first drink." I was not expecting this since I had no proof of my status, but it was nice.

To make things even better, I was returning on the same flight that crew was returning on (I was in EWR for less than 18 hours...) and the FA remembered me and made sure I was again offered a free drink as MVPG. It was a very nice trip and a reminder of the personal service and attention that I have received from AS since I began flying them - even back in the no-status days.

SeaBuddy

While I understand that there are profit margins and overall business practices to be considered, there have been many times, particularly on the LAX-SEA 5:00 PM -ish runs, that the picnic pak was FAR better than what was being offered as a snack in FC despite the dinner-hour flight. On these occasions I (along with others) have requested a picnic pak up front and received one gratis with no questions asked. Not trying to bend any rules, but it just seemed strange that the FC snack close to dinner hour was weak (cheese/crackers/grapes) and the picnick pak helped take off the edge on a two hour plus flight.

BOB W

This was one of my flights also. They were very good at recognizing me as Gold both directions.^

98103

Perhaps in the OP's case, the FA's presented the captain with a bill at the end of the flight.

I don't usually flash my gold card for my free drink. I find it too awkward to ask or tell the FA I am entitled to one. I understand how difficult it is to have thousands of employees provide consistent service when there is some margin for discretion.

On recent flights, I've seen more complimentary drinks and picnic packs being given to AS employees than to revenue passengers, Gold or not. Is there a policy for comping drinks to employees?

IStream

I was faced with the pizza dinner on an EWR-SEA flight and requested a cheesburger instead if they had any left over from the coach cabin. To my surprise, the FA didn't wait for the food service to end in coach, she just pulled it from the cart. I was pleasantly surprised but felt a little bad for the poor carnivores at the back of the cabin who might have been out of luck on their burger purchase. Don't worry, I got over it quickly.

AS Flyer

We don't serve the pizza dinner from EWR-SEA

IStream

I must've mis-remembered the exact flight. I've got a 110K EQM this year and some of it has blurred together...Now that I think about it, it was probably the evening ORD-SEA flight.

AS Flyer

That could have been - that pizza has reared it's head on the ORD flights over the past months. It's funny, most of the comments here regarding that pizza have been negative but when I serve it on the plane the response is very mixed, but never really awful. Many folks are fine with it, some even like it and very few have had a horrible reaction to it. I wonder what other FA's experiences have been.

eponymous_coward

I've had it going ORD-SEA. Meh- not horrific, but compared to Lou Malnati's REAL Chicago deep dish? It's going to be a disappointment.

IStream

I don't find it to be horrible, but it's pretty bland. It's also pretty unhealthy, so it's double trouble. I figure if I'm going to eat something bad for me, I'd rather it taste good. The Northern Bites cheeseburger is just as starchy and fatty (or more so), but it's surprisingly tasty to me.

Major G

Can someone say whether the free drink is an actual stated policy of being an MVPG? I would be embarrassed to order and drink and flash my gold card only to hear "that's nice buddy, but it's still five dollars".

Glenn