What does Alaska’s reserve system offer that’s better than even the regionals with poor reserve rules? No airport reserve, about all I can think of.
But in reality Alaska is a regional airline, it does offer better pay and retirement for sure, and the planes are bigger, but beyond that that’s pretty much what it is. That isn’t meant to bash it, it just simply seems to be the case, and management seems to be perfectly happy with it being what it is.