Originally Posted by Nantonaku (Post 1855909)

Exactly, actually I'd rather be on a Delta 75 or 73 with the new seat back screens than a new Alaska 737 with nothing. Why would they order brand new airplanes to fly transcon/Hawaii routes and not put in-flight entertainment in them? For business flyers Alaska doesn't have the network to compete with Delta. I'm afraid Alaska is fighting a losing battle.

Originally Posted by BenderRodriguez (Post 1856051)

Just asking the question, but will Alaska points get you business/first class on those partners?

Originally Posted by F15Cricket (Post 1856055)

Not sure if you have flown on Alaska recently, but you must not have seen the new in flight entertainment tablets for rent. Or, the fact that almost our entire fleet now is fitted with seat back USB and 110V power outlets, and have wi-if so you can watch the movies on your own device.

The company ordered the new aircraft that way because the vast majority of folks these days have their own tablet or iPhone and can watch a movie on that. I'm afraid companies that spend money on seat back screens will find them to be a cost, weight and fuel penalty, as well as increasingly going unused as passengers watch their own movies on their own tablets.

And for business fliers, I predict if things continue as they have over the past year, Alaska and American will have a complementary route network and codeshare that will be very attractive to business customers. I'm afraid Delta may be fighting a losing or expensive battle (domestically) in SEA.

Originally Posted by F15Cricket (Post 1856060)

Yes, and we still use miles.

Originally Posted by F15Cricket (Post 1856040)

Actually, it is an ignorant point ... But most of those folks with the Alaska Airlines credit cards and mileage plans already know this ...

I did some secret research and found this within the bowels of the alaskaair.com website ... :rolleyes:

Partner Awards are valid using any of our Partner Airlines. Our new Mix and Match Awards allow you to use one partner in one direction, and another partner coming back. And most of our partners even allow one-way bookings. Availability is limited, so you'll want to plan ahead, especially for summer or holiday travel.

Book Partner Awards online for travel on:

American Airlines
Aeromexico
Air France
British Airways
Delta Air Lines
Emirates
Fiji Airways
KLM
Korean Air
PenAir
Qantas
Ravn Alaska

As Sailingfun said, I think the future for SEA is for coexistence. Now, Juneau, on the other hand, is a different story. Can't wait to see how the summer shapes up there, especially as the Localizer is turned off until early July, and we are landing on the taxiway. (Just got back from there an hour ago.). Safe travels to all my DAL (and DAL as operated by SkyWest) buddies who will fly southeast this summer! :)

Originally Posted by F15Cricket (Post 1856055)

Not sure if you have flown on Alaska recently, but you must not have seen the new in flight entertainment tablets for rent. Or, the fact that almost our entire fleet now is fitted with seat back USB and 110V power outlets, and have wi-if so you can watch the movies on your own device.

The company ordered the new aircraft that way because the vast majority of folks these days have their own tablet or iPhone and can watch a movie on that. I'm afraid companies that spend money on seat back screens will find them to be a cost, weight and fuel penalty, as well as increasingly going unused as passengers watch their own movies on their own tablets.

And for business fliers, I predict if things continue as they have over the past year, Alaska and American will have a complementary route network and codeshare that will be very attractive to business customers. I'm afraid Delta may be fighting a losing or expensive battle (domestically) in SEA.

Originally Posted by sailingfun (Post 1856138)

Did you not predict massive diverts for Delta last summer in Juneau? That turned out to be exactly two diverts. The aircraft on those diverts also had the fuel to go back to SEA. On at least one day Delta got in and Alaska diverted and they did not have the fuel to get back to SEA.

Originally Posted by buzzpat (Post 1856141)

Go Wisconsin!

Originally Posted by F15Cricket (Post 1856196)

Not sure what you mean, Buzz ... maybe you inhaled when your old boss said he wasn't? :D

Seriously, though, Happy Easter ... even to my DAL bubbas! :)

And, if any of you actually DO make it into JNU (or even ANC!), pm me, and I'll let you buy me a beer, and if you're nice, I might even show you some cool warbirds in ANC.

By the way, the flight today up through southeast was gloriously gorgeous ... hand-flew the leg from CDV to ANC, was simply awesome. I don't think I could stand flying international for so many hours of boredom ... couldn't pay me enough. I know many folks have different ideas of what type of airline flying they enjoy, but for me, I'm happy to fly the 737 through southeast and never go farther south than SEA for the rest of my career (ok, maybe an occasional HNL like I have 3 of this month).