Alaska Air buys Virgin America for $2.6 billion
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,490
Alaska Air buys Virgin America for $2.6 billion
http://money.cnn.com/2016/04/04/inve...eal/index.html
This is GREAT news for those of us who have been held hostage by WN when they took over the intra-California market during the last fuel price boom in 2008. Once the deal closes, frequent flyer programs are merged, my only reason to fly WN will be the occasional leisure trip to LAS. The sooner the better.
For the WN Koolaid drinker, competition from a low cost, full service carrier should be a good thing.
This is GREAT news for those of us who have been held hostage by WN when they took over the intra-California market during the last fuel price boom in 2008. Once the deal closes, frequent flyer programs are merged, my only reason to fly WN will be the occasional leisure trip to LAS. The sooner the better.
For the WN Koolaid drinker, competition from a low cost, full service carrier should be a good thing.
#2
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,845
http://money.cnn.com/2016/04/04/inve...eal/index.html
This is GREAT news for those of us who have been held hostage by WN when they took over the intra-California market during the last fuel price boom in 2008. Once the deal closes, frequent flyer programs are merged, my only reason to fly WN will be the occasional leisure trip to LAS. The sooner the better.
For the WN Koolaid drinker, competition from a low cost, full service carrier should be a good thing.
This is GREAT news for those of us who have been held hostage by WN when they took over the intra-California market during the last fuel price boom in 2008. Once the deal closes, frequent flyer programs are merged, my only reason to fly WN will be the occasional leisure trip to LAS. The sooner the better.
For the WN Koolaid drinker, competition from a low cost, full service carrier should be a good thing.
#4
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: WN A-list Preferred and CP, AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, RIP Kimpton
Posts: 853
WN headquarters must be doing backflips over the potential to pick up the 2 remaining gates at DAL.
As somebody who lives next-door to DAL and uses VX to the coasts and WN for all other routes, this news really bums me out. WN only runs one DAL-SFO direct route each day (720pm CST departure, 610am PST return) which is a regular trip for me. Post-Wright, I ditched AA for a WN/VX lifestyle but I fear many return trips to DFW are in my future.
As somebody who lives next-door to DAL and uses VX to the coasts and WN for all other routes, this news really bums me out. WN only runs one DAL-SFO direct route each day (720pm CST departure, 610am PST return) which is a regular trip for me. Post-Wright, I ditched AA for a WN/VX lifestyle but I fear many return trips to DFW are in my future.
#7
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: VX Gold/WN Companion
Posts: 682
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
Programs: WN CP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,164
Typical Flyertalk.
#9
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: 21,589
VX has provided most of the low fare leadership intra-CA during the last 4 years. Southwest's customers will pay higher fares from now on.
On the other hand, VX has offered few great fare deals over the past year or so. Maybe the change I fear has already happened. I know that my average fare paid has never been higher, low fuel prices notwithstanding.
On the other hand, VX has offered few great fare deals over the past year or so. Maybe the change I fear has already happened. I know that my average fare paid has never been higher, low fuel prices notwithstanding.
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,490
WN headquarters must be doing backflips over the potential to pick up the 2 remaining gates at DAL.
As somebody who lives next-door to DAL and uses VX to the coasts and WN for all other routes, this news really bums me out. WN only runs one DAL-SFO direct route each day (720pm CST departure, 610am PST return) which is a regular trip for me. Post-Wright, I ditched AA for a WN/VX lifestyle but I fear many return trips to DFW are in my future.
As somebody who lives next-door to DAL and uses VX to the coasts and WN for all other routes, this news really bums me out. WN only runs one DAL-SFO direct route each day (720pm CST departure, 610am PST return) which is a regular trip for me. Post-Wright, I ditched AA for a WN/VX lifestyle but I fear many return trips to DFW are in my future.
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,490
I was referring to the COMBINED entity; AS has been ramping up intra-California service, creating focus cities in SAN, SJC and SNA, adding VX to the mix should result in increased SFO service.
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,490
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,490
Having earned elite status on AA, AS and WN, I cannot understand how a frequent flyer would choose to fly WN, agree with your premise IF the choice was between say AA, DL and UA - or F9 and NK. Gary Kelly is attempting to carve out his own category, current incarnation makes little sense for frequent business travelers, requires constant marketing, reinforcement, its own reservation system to discourage comparison shopping.
The current AS management team knows what they are doing, will give Kelly a run for his money, will be interesting to see if he (as CEO) survives it. The good news is that the intra-California market has been ripe for competition for some time, Kelly should have expected it when he jacked up fares and reduced frequency, customers of both carriers will win in the short term.
My WN flights have been out of necessity - no other options. As AS/VX offer more intra-California service, I expect lots of other current WN hostages to join me in pre-reserved seats, free first class upgrades. With that said - I should be careful, don't want too much competition for those upgrades...
#15
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Houston (HOU/IAH)
Programs: WN, UA, DL, AA, Chase UR, Amex MR
Posts: 2,267