Alaska Air strikes again

[fourfive8]

This could fit equally well in General Chat, but it has to do with quite a few traveling anglers with fish boxes. For the past few years Alaska Air has started to push a plan of operation that sacrifices customer convenience and customer care. No matter when you buy tickets, they have gotten into the habit of tweaking their schedules, sometimes by hours. Then they’ll email you options for changing your schedule at no cost even though you chose and planned around a schedule that needs to stay close and within reason.

This year to Ak was no exception. I had to redo my schedule around one of their changes. And this, past week during my trip, I got multiple emails from them offering no fee flight changes. The only thing I can think of is they continually run these bookings through an AI algorithm in an attempt to maximize their plane fill rate.

Just got off a flight on Alaska Air from Anchorage with one simple 2 1/2 hour flight change/layover in Seattle. Plane arrives and half the checked bags didn’t. Several fish boxes in the mix… lovely. Thank goodness I didn’t try to bring any fish back! Both SeaTac and Alaska Air have issues. It’s obvious Mayor Pete Bootygig was busy doing other things for four years and the new guy at Sec of Transport better get that act together! In the mean time future trips to Last Frontier will be sans Alaska Air. Unfortunately some hubs are only served by Alaska Air/Horizon without using a very expensive charter.

As an aside but possibly related cause-effect??? I took these photos in the Seattle airport today. Should be self explanatory, a Trademark of Tampon, the Minnesota Stud Muffin”, Tim. Fill in the blanks…
Notice one in the bin… Somebody had to push the button

Additionally, now Alaska Air is really pumping their merger/acquisition/partnership with Hawaiian Air. Whatever… I think they need to get their house in order before playing big shot.

 

[Sourdough]

It is long past over do that all U.S. airlines become state controlled. I can’t believe I’m saying that but all of them have betrayed us, even after we bailed them out after that Covid nonsense. All the major foreign airlines are far superior to all U.S. airlines. Heck, even the commuter Airlink is superior. Write Trump, write your useless congressional representatives and demand the airlines become state controlled. We deserve the best, not 3rd string.

 

[Arctic97]

I have worked in the fishing industry for 30 years. So, I have flown through Seattle on my way to/from the ship in Dutch Harbor 2 to 4 times a year for work flights alone. Alaska used to be a great airline. Sad to have watched it deteriorate over the years. We also start a lot of our personal travel from Boise, so Seattle is a major hub for connections, but now I try to avoid it when I schedule a trip. Seems lately that you can hit the runway there on time and it will still take them 40 minutes to get set at a gate. It has just gotten too busy. I know Delta has expanded there a lot and it has become a real traffic jam in and around the terminals/gates.

 

[cash_tx]

I still haven't forgiven Alaska Air for buying and ruining Virgin America (my favorite domestic airline at the time). Granted, Branson was being forced to sell Virgin America; and any domestic buyer would have likely ruined them, but Alaska is the one who actually did it.

 

[dgr416]

Alaska airlines sucks now part of one world air .They limit you to 2 50 pound bags and a carry on .Friends on my flight killed a moose and had 3 100 pound tubs of meat .They only let them bring one tub kept the rest .In Alanta they lost my luggage and birddogs untill i paid them $80;to find them .They refused moose antlers because they were too big too .The young forgein kid flying the plane almost crashed us on landing went to 80 feet off the ground sideways and jerked us straight up .They have totally ruined Alaska Airlines forever !

 

[M70375!]

Damm, I gotta go up there in May for a bear hunt , that's the last thing I wanted to hear

 

[wyosteve]

I flew on Alaska Airlines in May for a bear hunt and it generally went off without big problems. Sorry to hear the recent experiences.

 

[dgr416]

It was like a bunch of fricking clowns .I flew the day after that alaska air plane ceashed from the door not closing long ago guess what they couldnt get our door to close either .It took 3 hours to fix it .This last flight every flight was delayed an hour or more .I forgot took them 3 hours to check me in on the way back and they tried to refuse to let one of mg dogs fly becsuse the kennel was 2 inches bigger .It was the worst airline i have ever seen i use to love flying them .They lost all of my baggsge once didnt get there for 10 days had a safari case with 6 guns crammed in it .

 

[fourfive8]

It was like a bunch of fricking clowns .I flew the day after that alaska air plane ceashed from the door not closing long ago guess what they couldnt get our door to close either .It took 3 hours to fix it .This last flight every flight was delayed an hour or more .I forgot took them 3 hours to check me in on the way back and they tried to refuse to let one of mg dogs fly becsuse the kennel was 2 inches bigger .It was the worst airline i have ever seen i use to love flying them .They lost all of my baggsge once didnt get there for 10 days had a safari case with 6 guns crammed in it .

I don't know that happened to them either. Seems like their problems have increased in proportion to their increase in size and market. And now they've glommed onto Hawaiian Air. You can get to Anchroage or Fairbanks on other major carriers but kind of stuck with them for many internal regional flights unless you roll the dice with smaller companies or much more impractically, expensive charters

Have to use them again in June from ANC to AKN... ugh.

 

[gbflyer]

Still the best of a bad lot. And that’s not saying much. Our outbound/inbound originate in Juneau. They’re the only game in town. Love/hate.

 

[dgr416]

I don't know that happened to them either. Seems like their problems have increased in proportion to their increase in size and market. And now they've glommed onto Hawaiian Air. You can get to Anchroage or Fairbanks on other major carriers but kind of stuck with them for many internal regional flights unless you roll the dice with smaller companies or much more impractically, expensive charters

Have to use them again in June from ANC to AKN... ugh.

It was like the bad keystone cops glad we didnt crash

 

[Doug Hamilton]

It is long past over do that all U.S. airlines become state controlled. I can’t believe I’m saying that but all of them have betrayed us, even after we bailed them out after that Covid nonsense. All the major foreign airlines are far superior to all U.S. airlines. Heck, even the commuter Airlink is superior. Write Trump, write your useless congressional representatives and demand the airlines become state controlled. We deserve the best, not 3rd string.

While I feel.your pain, and even flew Qatar Airlines on my last Africa trip...but,

I'll be damned if I will advocate for state ownership of any business. Socialism and Communism has been a dismal failure everywhere and I will.have no part in spreading it to the US.

 

[Philip Glass]

It is long past over do that all U.S. airlines become state controlled. I can’t believe I’m saying that but all of them have betrayed us, even after we bailed them out after that Covid nonsense. All the major foreign airlines are far superior to all U.S. airlines. Heck, even the commuter Airlink is superior. Write Trump, write your useless congressional representatives and demand the airlines become state controlled. We deserve the best, not 3rd string.

We tried that. Didn't work. We all have trouble from time to time but we now have lower prices and many more flight options than before deregulation. How many ways can we fly to JNB now? Countless.

 

[Russ16]

T

We tried that. Didn't work. We all have trouble from time to time but we now have lower prices and many more flight options than before deregulation. How many ways can we fly to JNB now? Countless.

The airline industry was far better before deregulation. That’s from a guy who’s flown more than 100,000 domestic mikes every year (other than 2020) since the early 2000s. The way the industry treats passengers without consequence is atrocious.

 

[Doug3006]

It is long past over do that all U.S. airlines become state controlled. I can’t believe I’m saying that but all of them have betrayed us, even after we bailed them out after that Covid nonsense. All the major foreign airlines are far superior to all U.S. airlines. Heck, even the commuter Airlink is superior. Write Trump, write your useless congressional representatives and demand the airlines become state controlled. We deserve the best, not 3rd string.

So the airline industry will be better run……like Amtrack?

 

[Philip Glass]

T

The airline industry was far better before deregulation. That’s from a guy who’s flown more than 100,000 domestic mikes every year (other than 2020) since the early 2000s. The way the industry treats passengers without consequence is atrocious.

Yes the conditions of carriage they make us agree to is ridiculous. As mad as the airlines make us I must disagree with you. Even with all the crap have to deal with we still have it better than before overall.

 

[Russ16]

Amtrak works way better than the airlines.

But I’m not saying government owned but government regulated. Big difference.

 

[Elkeater]

T

The airline industry was far better before deregulation. That’s from a guy who’s flown more than 100,000 domestic mikes every year (other than 2020) since the early 2000s. The way the industry treats passengers without consequence is atrocious.

Ya I kinda agree with that. I generally like the idea of capitalism and letting the market drive businesses. But with certain industries that’s not a reality. Airlines being deregulated wasn’t necessarily good. Normally I would say deregulated businesses can thrive a bit better but with airlines it kinda opens up the can of worms that allows for poor customer service with no consequences. You can take your business elsewhere but with airlines you quickly run out of options. And with the super high start up costs it’s not like you can just go start a new airline and add competition. Just my two cents I guess.

 

[Russ16]

Ya I kinda agree with that. I generally like the idea of capitalism and letting the market drive businesses. But with certain industries that’s not a reality. Airlines being deregulated wasn’t necessarily good. Normally I would say deregulated businesses can thrive a bit better but with airlines it kinda opens up the can of worms that allows for poor customer service with no consequences. You can take your business elsewhere but with airlines you quickly run out of options. And with the super high start up costs it’s not like you can just go start a new airline and add competition. Just my two cents I guess.

A few simple regs really help. Last summer I had a flight from London get delayed because of a mechanical. Due to EU rules British airways had us in a hotel overnight immediately. We were rebooked and got a fare refund plus a mandated 200 euro for the inconvenience.

I’m concierge key on American so usually get rebooked quickly here in the states and am almost always upgraded. But have to fight for any fare difference and I see how other non frequent flyers suffer in those situations here domestically.

Knowing there is a penalty for non-performance changes the math for airlines.

There is a difference between excessive regulation and effective regulation. The airline industry needs the second

 

[farmer_john]

Alaska airlines sucks now part of one world air .They limit you to 2 50 pound bags and a carry on .Friends on my flight killed a moose and had 3 100 pound tubs of meat .They only let them bring one tub kept the rest .In Alanta they lost my luggage and birddogs untill i paid them $80;to find them .They refused moose antlers because they were too big too .The young forgein kid flying the plane almost crashed us on landing went to 80 feet off the ground sideways and jerked us straight up .They have totally ruined Alaska Airlines forever !

Whered they lose your dogs?