Originally Posted by F15Cricket (Post 1856192)

Actually, I don't think it was me that predicted that, as I only started with Alaska in late July. Also, if I remember correctly, wasn't it a DAL bubba who started the thread about DAL going into JNU?

I'm sure on that one day y'all got in and Alaska diverted that we got probably 4 of our other flights in! ;)

From my limited experience (about 20x into JNU in the last 4 months), it seems we almost never use SEA as a JNU divert ... we would use KTN, SIT, CDV, YAK or ANC as diverts, depending on where the flight was going next. Diverting to SEA from JNU is just silly, regardless of how much gas you've got ....

Last year's flying was a 757 with Check Airmen, wasn't it (i.e., carrying a lot of extra gas for that divert all the way back to SEA)? But for this year, does an "Delta as operated by SkyWest" RJ have enough fuel to divert all the way back to SEA from JNU ... or KTN ... or SIT? :D

Originally Posted by F15Cricket (Post 1856060)

Yes, and we still use miles.

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 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 Purple Drank (Post 1856225)

I think if you understood the philosophy of building brand loyalty with hvcs, you'd realize that's a poor decision. Or perhaps Alaskan realizes that it has no chance to win hvcs, and is instead settling for loyal (and less profitable) local leisure travelers.

Originally Posted by sailingfun (Post 1856217)

Actually it is costly to divert to SEA but the passengers really appreciate it. It's also easy to recrew and launch the flight again from a pilot base.

Originally Posted by gzsg (Post 1856438)

If you think Alaska is staying in the alliance with Delta and KLM/AF you are wrong.

Originally Posted by cornbeef007 (Post 1856543)

Don't get too excited, thats a long way down the road. You think those other airlines would give up Alaska's network just because of some Delta and Alaska battle? Not happening, thats why Alaska didn't give into the Delta demands in the first place. Keeping the integrity of the network over the demands of a single partner is about diversification and Alaska is doing just that.

Originally Posted by F15Cricket (Post 1856480)

Don't understand how the pax could appreciate a divert to SEA rather than making it to their destination, or somewhere close that they could then get to their destination in short order.

Does that include the time the jet diverted, and no one told the pax in JNU? From what I understand, no one showed up to work the DAL counter because the flight was cnx'd, but all the pax showed up ... So AS CSAs did what they do so well, and put many of them on our flights.

Also heard the pax on that flight were on their own back in SEA, i.e., no hotel room because of the wx divert.