Comments on: Whatever Happened to Alaska Airlines?

By: FormerFan

FormerFan — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 06:02:57 +0000

Alaska Airlines has lost its soul. What was formerly my favorite airline, no longer cares about its customers. Everything has deteriorated: reservations, the boarding process, inflight service (non-existent, even in the so-called first class), the cleanliness of the planes and so on. I avoid Alaska Airlines whenever possible. My prediction: Alaska ends up as a low-cost carrier for vacationers to Hawaii and Mexico. A sad way to end a rich history with some very dedicated employees. The CEO and senior executives should be embarrassed and ought to do some soul searching.

By: Bob

Bob — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 21:17:47 +0000

Great article, John. Thanks very much for the memories. About the only thing I can recommend, seriously, is to get yourself a private pilot’s license. Think about it.

By: orca17

orca17 — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:00:55 +0000

Great essay. I loved reading it. I miss PSA too. Even more recently was the case of Reno Air, another western carrier with an emphasis on customer service. I was once bumped off a Reno Air flight from LAS to OKC. The airline put me up in a hotel with round-trip airport transportation and a meal voucher, upgraded my return flight to first class and gave me a free voucher for a round-trip flight anywhere the airline flew – which I used to go back to Vegas. Cabin crews were pleasant and attentive, as was pretty much everyone else with the airline. Then along came American Airlines. They bought Reno Air and after a few months began phasing out all their routes. The end game was clear. They didn’t want Reno Air. They wanted them out of the way. Reno Air was beginning to develop a loyal following, and the predatory AA couldn’t have that.

By: Dispatch this...

Dispatch this... — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:58:23 +0000

Great article: I have been dispatching in the industry for several years. I see the black hole of US carriers and were they are heading. It is really sad. The Shit carriers are still in business while the good ones fall to the way side. Why???
I personally will not fly on JetBlue, American, Delta or US Airways. I will use Hawaiian, United, or Continental if necessary,
There is not much to choose from anymore and all the airlines are nickel and diming the customer to death. Ii hope a major airline closes its doors, it will send a shock wave thru the industry. A wake up call is needed.

With unhappy customers and air crews, is it really safe to fly these days?

Some level of regulation should be put in place again to keep what airlines we have in check.

A cheap ticket is not that cheap in the end.

By: Dominique Kouyate

Dominique Kouyate — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 12:08:51 +0000

John,
You’re right on the money but it all comes down to knowledgeable and Smart management, who can really get the best out of crews that usually are in this line of work by sheer passion and dreams.

Unfortunately this industry has become so incredubly complex that there is not a single right answer on how to build and successfully run a service oriented profitable airline.

I live in West Africa now but I worked for US airlines for 11 years, so i see that mostly everybody has somehow his point in this thread

Meanwhile Cheer up with this one who has some Gems in it , I am pretty sure you will find yourself just at home :

http://toolkit.bootsnall.com/transportation-travel-guide/air-travel-guide/ask-the-pilot-collection/general-maintenance/airline-announcements.html

PS Off Topic , you were right (one more time ?) on the paperless magazines issues. I susbscribed to both and i will sorely miss the pcmag paper edition; In fact i’m getting a new subscription for the competing paper since there’s nothing left (or is it ?)

Dominique, Abidjan ,Côte d’Ivoire

By: Alaska Cruises

Alaska Cruises — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 18:50:20 +0000

Too bad they`ll end up by having a very bad reputation..at least if they would have gone down when they were still good.

By: Mister Mustard

Mister Mustard — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:11:29 +0000

Trina, do you work at Fantasy Airlines?

The flights I take, the stewards and stewardesses are pr&cks and c&nts.

And then you have to pay for the blankies and a glass of water.

By: Trina

Trina — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:18:42 +0000

I always have the same questions when people complain they are treated poorly as a passenger. If you are treated poorly, it’s probably for a reason. Were you rude? Did you demand a drink? Did you remember the words ‘please’ and ‘thank you’? Are you clipping your fingernails in your seat as you place your order? Do you stuff your dirty kleenex in the flight attendant’s hand as she passes by? Do you silently hold out your coat to your flight attendant, expecting her to just hang it up? Flight attendants are usually happy when they arrive at work. It’s the people who are rude who bring out the worst in anyone.

By: Alfredo

Alfredo — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:00:26 +0000

Yea let’s bring on those gas sucking MD 80′s so we can really screw up the planet. You really like the flying whore-houses that Virgin has? How about Southwest Jethro, hear a little Deliverance tune? I don’t think anyone can find an airline that will suit all standards. Alaska doesn’t have have flights to all the points in they do in Alaska. Half of us would be screwed without them. You can have Virgin.

By: Leah

Leah — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 23:25:13 +0000

I flew yesterday from Las Vegas to Anchorage in paid first class, IT SUCKED! we were given a small desert size plate of “crudites” that caontained :
3 carrot sticks 1 celery stick halved, 1 half radish, 1 small piece of broccoli, a dminute l round dinner roll with 2 small slices of salami and one rectangle thin piece of cheese and a little container of super oily salad dressing vinagrette to dip the veggies in. The whole plate wasen’t worth a dollar, they should be embarrased to serve such ridiculous “snack” to 1st class customers, I was so darn hungry I had to ask for one of those tiny bags of prezzels. This airline is by far the worst of the airlines out there, there is no first class treatment whatsoever but they do charge for the first class seat prices alright, I can’t wait until some other airline with balls sets foot in the anchorage market and crushes Alaska Air monopoly here, I would be more than happy to pay a little more for better service, newer planes and for not being treated like freaken brainless cattle when boarding a plane… VirginAmerica are you listening? I hope so!

By: Phillep

Phillep — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:59:54 +0000

Well, this thread got resurected.

Alaska Airlines is still flying, and still seems to be run by it’s competition. Short sighted idiotic decisions still plague the customers, both passengers and freight. They are ripe to lose out to any company that wants to take their routes from them.

By: joyless28

joyless28 — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:35:03 +0000

AMEN!!! I miss those MD-80s also. I remember flying to see family in Chicago in one of those tin cans comfortably enough to where we had as much room as a small kitchen maybe. That was against a bulkhead so I just lucked out in the end.

By: aven ellex

aven ellex — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 05:47:28 +0000

Know about symptoms and treatments for back pain and get instant back pain relief.

By: Vincent O. Moh

Vincent O. Moh — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 22:05:04 +0000

J. Callahan confused the 737 rudder incidents with the Alaska MD80 incidents. The 737s were due to “backwards” rudder problems. The MD80s had a lack of lubrication AND a poorly designed tail that had no redundancies.

As for airline service, I fly with Continental or Southwest, and I like both airlines.

By: Ward

Ward — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 17:39:42 +0000

“They did so buy buying”

oops. “by buying”