Feb 13, 2020, 8:29 am
Last edit by: JDiver
Alaska Airlines is expected join the oneworld Alliance as a full member summer 2021 end of 2020, pending regulatory approval*.
link to earning EQM, EQD, EQS and Award Miles flying Alaska Airlines as AS marketed flights. (If flying as AA marketed flight (codeshare), earnings are as if flying AA.) As of April 1, 2020.
Seattle’s first-ever direct flight to BLR will be available for purchase later this month, with daily flights beginning October 2020. Daily service between SEA and LHR will be available for purchase in May 2020 for flights starting March 2021.
link to full release, 13 Feb 2020
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Alaska Airlines route map (including Virgin America)
- Alaska Airlines intends to join the oneworld® alliance, the world's fastest growing and most highly rated global airline alliance, by summer 2021, which will connect Alaska guests to more than 1,200 destinations worldwide.
- American will launch the first service from Seattle (SEA) to Bangalore, India (BLR) beginning October 25 2020. A new American route from SEA to the global business hub London Heathrow (LHR) will begin flying in March 2021.
- The airlines will continue their domestic codeshare that offers customers hassle-free booking and travel between the two networks. The codeshare will expand to include international routes from Los Angeles (LAX) and SEA.
- Alaska and American loyalty members will enjoy benefits across both airlines, including the ability to earn and use miles on both airlines’ full networks, elite status reciprocity and lounge access to nearly 50 American Admirals Club lounges worldwide and seven Alaska Lounges in the U.S.
link to earning EQM, EQD, EQS and Award Miles flying Alaska Airlines as AS marketed flights. (If flying as AA marketed flight (codeshare), earnings are as if flying AA.) As of April 1, 2020.
Seattle’s first-ever direct flight to BLR will be available for purchase later this month, with daily flights beginning October 2020. Daily service between SEA and LHR will be available for purchase in May 2020 for flights starting March 2021.
link to full release, 13 Feb 2020
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Alaska Airlines route map (including Virgin America)
Alaska / AS joining oneworld 31 Mar 2021, AA launching SEA-BLR/LHR
Feb 13, 2020, 11:39 am
#77
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,632
SEA was presumably selected partly because of where it is, i.e. the distance to India is as small as possible within the lower 48. BLR, on the other hand, is one of the furthest major Indian airports (the closest would be DEL). Also there are fewer domestic connections from BLR than from DEL.
I recall doing ORD-DEL on AA several times, and encountering grumpy FAs who got this flight because of seniority and could rack up many hours (I believe she said 2 (3?) round trips and they were done for the month). They would vanish after the meal service, and return before landing. The BLR flight isn't going to be any different. If you have to change planes in SEA or in BLR to take this flight, there is no reason not to fly a better airline.
I recall doing ORD-DEL on AA several times, and encountering grumpy FAs who got this flight because of seniority and could rack up many hours (I believe she said 2 (3?) round trips and they were done for the month). They would vanish after the meal service, and return before landing. The BLR flight isn't going to be any different. If you have to change planes in SEA or in BLR to take this flight, there is no reason not to fly a better airline.
Last edited by SeeBuyFly; Feb 13, 2020 at 12:08 pm
Feb 13, 2020, 11:40 am
#78
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SFOSJCOAK
Programs: AA-EXP & 1MM+, AS, MR-LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 7,581
That said, I fear AS devaluation (on partners awards) ahead.
Feb 13, 2020, 11:51 am
#79
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: APAC
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, JL JGC
Posts: 143
I’m really curious how this will affect Alaska flights on routes that AA designates as premium transcontinental (LAX/SFO-JFK, etc). Alaska is pretty much the only non budget airline flying a business class with standard recliners while AA is operating the 100 seater A321Ts which are half J/F.
From a network perspective, it’d be great if Alaska had more west coast - other east coast/midwest flights, but that’s not where the money is. Or maybe they’ll upgrade their J seats for transcon birds?
From a network perspective, it’d be great if Alaska had more west coast - other east coast/midwest flights, but that’s not where the money is. Or maybe they’ll upgrade their J seats for transcon birds?
Feb 13, 2020, 12:08 pm
#81
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: SE Wisconsin
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond for Life
Posts: 337
I’ve never flown AS, but my wife and I possibly need to be in Anchorage, April 30. (Academic Decathalon - anyone going?)
I redeemed AA miles for a 1st Class, Roundtrip, Non-stop flight, ORD-ANC, on AS. I used miles for the flexibility in case we don’t end up going. I found it interesting that, had I wanted to pay for the trip, AS connections were available through SEA and PDX, but the non-stop AS flight was not available.
Also, F availability was limited, and it took me a while to fully book this trip. We are both on the same flights, but only my wife is F (A) both ways. I’m Economy (W) on the way there and F (A) on the way back. I check everyday to see if I can get another F seat on the way there. (And in reference to another current thread here, if booked in Economy, I ALWAYS put my wife in F if my upgrade clears - she’s never been kicked out!)
I am assuming that the F travel will have F benefits, but I am also assuming that my one leg in W will have no benefits, regardless of my EXP status.
I redeemed AA miles for a 1st Class, Roundtrip, Non-stop flight, ORD-ANC, on AS. I used miles for the flexibility in case we don’t end up going. I found it interesting that, had I wanted to pay for the trip, AS connections were available through SEA and PDX, but the non-stop AS flight was not available.
Also, F availability was limited, and it took me a while to fully book this trip. We are both on the same flights, but only my wife is F (A) both ways. I’m Economy (W) on the way there and F (A) on the way back. I check everyday to see if I can get another F seat on the way there. (And in reference to another current thread here, if booked in Economy, I ALWAYS put my wife in F if my upgrade clears - she’s never been kicked out!)
I am assuming that the F travel will have F benefits, but I am also assuming that my one leg in W will have no benefits, regardless of my EXP status.
Feb 13, 2020, 12:14 pm
#82
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,481
My question was where this SEA-BLR frame was coming from...? Least wasteful would seem relieving BA of a LHR rotation and flying a la RDU - but that would have the frames running JFK/MIA/ORD/etc-LHR-SEA-BLR-SEA-LHR-JFK/MIA/ORD/etc and would seem pretty disatrously vulnerable to MX delays.
Otherwise I guess there'll be a widebody rotation from DFW, ORD, or LAX to enjoy.
Otherwise I guess there'll be a widebody rotation from DFW, ORD, or LAX to enjoy.
Feb 13, 2020, 12:28 pm
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,394
I’m really curious how this will affect Alaska flights on routes that AA designates as premium transcontinental (LAX/SFO-JFK, etc). Alaska is pretty much the only non budget airline flying a business class with standard recliners while AA is operating the 100 seater A321Ts which are half J/F.
From a network perspective, it’d be great if Alaska had more west coast - other east coast/midwest flights, but that’s not where the money is. Or maybe they’ll upgrade their J seats for transcon birds?
From a network perspective, it’d be great if Alaska had more west coast - other east coast/midwest flights, but that’s not where the money is. Or maybe they’ll upgrade their J seats for transcon birds?
Last edited by eponymous_coward; Feb 13, 2020 at 1:18 pm
Feb 13, 2020, 12:32 pm
#85
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SEA
Programs: Hilton/Marriott Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 2,036
It's actually been down to once daily ever since the laptop ban.
The regulatory restrictions for the merger only required AA and AS to scale back their codesharing out of LAX, and not much else that I can remember. AA's more recent gutting of the partnership had nothing to do with the feds.
The regulatory restrictions for the merger only required AA and AS to scale back their codesharing out of LAX, and not much else that I can remember. AA's more recent gutting of the partnership had nothing to do with the feds.
Feb 13, 2020, 12:44 pm
#86
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,372
My question was where this SEA-BLR frame was coming from...? Least wasteful would seem relieving BA of a LHR rotation and flying a la RDU - but that would have the frames running JFK/MIA/ORD/etc-LHR-SEA-BLR-SEA-LHR-JFK/MIA/ORD/etc and would seem pretty disatrously vulnerable to MX delays.
Otherwise I guess there'll be a widebody rotation from DFW, ORD, or LAX to enjoy.
Otherwise I guess there'll be a widebody rotation from DFW, ORD, or LAX to enjoy.
Feb 13, 2020, 1:04 pm
#88
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,481
<redacted quote of deleted post>
Having an empty frame and rotating it in from a hub is wasteful from a fleet planning perspective - that's why RDU is actually a rotation from LHR. It means that the widebody is always running widebody routes, rather than offering a rotation into RDU on a 787/772 that could be fulfilled by a 737/A320. So are they serving SEA as a "mini-hub" and sending the frame in, or is it merely a waypoint for a frame doing a long run that includes LHR...?
For me personally from the widebody capacity perspective the most interesting question is where BA may send the frame freed up by AA SEA-LHR - but that's for the other board.
Having an empty frame and rotating it in from a hub is wasteful from a fleet planning perspective - that's why RDU is actually a rotation from LHR. It means that the widebody is always running widebody routes, rather than offering a rotation into RDU on a 787/772 that could be fulfilled by a 737/A320. So are they serving SEA as a "mini-hub" and sending the frame in, or is it merely a waypoint for a frame doing a long run that includes LHR...?
For me personally from the widebody capacity perspective the most interesting question is where BA may send the frame freed up by AA SEA-LHR - but that's for the other board.
Last edited by JY1024; Feb 13, 2020 at 5:44 pm Reason: redacted quote of a deleted post
Feb 13, 2020, 1:21 pm
#89
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: HH Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 10,458
<redacted quote of a deleted post> Having an empty frame and rotating it in from a hub is wasteful from a fleet planning perspective - that's why RDU is actually a rotation from LHR. It means that the widebody is always running widebody routes, rather than offering a rotation into RDU on a 787/772 that could be fulfilled by a 737/A320. So are they serving SEA as a "mini-hub" and sending the frame in, or is it merely a waypoint for a frame doing a long run that includes LHR...?
For me personally from the widebody capacity perspective the most interesting question is where BA may send the frame freed up by AA SEA-LHR - but that's for the other board.
For me personally from the widebody capacity perspective the most interesting question is where BA may send the frame freed up by AA SEA-LHR - but that's for the other board.
Last edited by JY1024; Feb 13, 2020 at 5:44 pm Reason: redacted quote of a deleted post
Feb 13, 2020, 1:32 pm
#90
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
I expect it's mostly AS putting customers onto AA longhaul flights feed. Any sort of domestic codesharing would likely violate the VX merger terms & put AA's unions up in arms about lost out growth.
Not sure much changes as AS already allowed for redemptions on CX, QF, BA, JL. If anything I would worry about AS losing some of the partnerships in other Alliances after they commit to OW (SQ, KE, LA)
Not sure much changes as AS already allowed for redemptions on CX, QF, BA, JL. If anything I would worry about AS losing some of the partnerships in other Alliances after they commit to OW (SQ, KE, LA)
Also no more AF redemptions with AS miles?
But it also means they get the BA TATL awards with $1500 fees on BA?
Now would that also mean for people on the West Coast more options to get across the country, like maybe the AS and Jet Blue flights to JFK and EWR as well as direct flights to Hawaii from SJC?