What can you tell me about Alaska Airlines?

[Kirby]

I'm looking at flights and the best schedule seems to be on Alaska Airlines.  I've never flown on them and I'm wary of smaller airlines.  They don't fly much out of NY so I"m not that familiar with them, but what I've seen online indicates they're not a low frills, budget airline and their customer satisfaction is ranked as the best.   Both are within the "approved" price range, so reliability and least horrible experience are the main criteria.  The other alternative is Delta.  Any views or experiences to share? (I wish the dirigible had more commercial routes!)

[maddmaxx ★]

Delta has stricter policies about chickens in the cabin.

[jsharr ★]

They give out whale blubber instead of nuts, except in first class, where you get fermented seal flipper.

I would bring a snack if it were me.

[sheep_herder ★]

I've flown with them.  Had a layover in Seattle, but they treated us well.

[Razors Edge ★]

12 minutes ago, Kirby said:

Alaska Airlines.

They have maybe 10 planes, and only fly between tiny towns in Alaska. I think the pilots also carry rifles to keep the bears at bay, deliver mail & packages (at a YUGE discount), and know how to perform essential "Alaskan" first aid like delivering babies (human or otherwise), wrapping ax injuries, or treating frostbite sort of stuff.  

Other than that, there is not much to them.  

Tom

[Zephyr]

I have flown with them a couple times, and had no issues or concerns.  Liked them better than both American and United.  And they have a cool face on their planes

 

[maddmaxx ★]

1 minute ago, sheep_herder said:

I've flown with them.  Had a layover in Seattle, but they treated us well.

Seattle is a customs port between Alaska and the mainland.

[sheep_herder ★]

4 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

Seattle is a customs port between Alaska and the mainland.

I was flying from Las Vegas to Billings but they had a problem.  One of those deals where the crew ran out of time.  That was not my first time for that type of experience. We were overnight in Seattle, next morning flew to Portland and caught another plane to Billings.

[jsharr ★]

the in flight crew may give you the cold shoulder if you refuse the blubber or flipper.  

[ChrisL]

I fly SWA often for business travel and in our family trip to Portland last month I actually found a better faire on Alaska.

In my opinion it's a step up from SWA in comfort, I felt the seats were more spacious and I was on the same plane, a 737 as SWA uses.  Otherwise it was similar in customer service and such. 

Id recommend Alaska.

[shotgun]

Not a whole lot, except I flew them from Portland, OR to Spokane in April. I had a good experience and would fly them again. 

[Dottleshead ★]

1 hour ago, Kirby said:

I'm looking at flights and the best schedule seems to be on Alaska Airlines.  I've never flown on them and I'm wary of smaller airlines.  They don't fly much out of NY so I"m not that familiar with them, but what I've seen online indicates they're not a low frills, budget airline and their customer satisfaction is ranked as the best.   Both are within the "approved" price range, so reliability and least horrible experience are the main criteria.  The other alternative is Delta.  Any views or experiences to share? (I wish the dirigible had more commercial routes!)

Alaska is Seattle based.  They're just as good as the bigger airlines.  And I don't say that because their from my region.  I say that because I've flown them a lot.  

[Scrapr ★]

We love love love Alaska air. It is our preference. Big presence in Portland so that helps. A few issues with the big players. So we try as best we can to fly Alaska. The flights are getting better as far as East coast flights. They started in the NYC last year. After I accidently booked WoScrapr & myself up front for a cross country flight WoScrapr will not fly anything else. Let's just say i was not legal to drive when we got back to portland. The booze was pouring nicely

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

1 hour ago, ChrisL said:

I fly SWA often for business travel and in our family trip to Portland last month I actually found a better faire on Alaska.

In my opinion it's a step up from SWA in comfort, I felt the seats were more spacious and I was on the same plane, a 737 as SWA uses.  Otherwise it was similar in customer service and such. 

Id recommend Alaska.

I didn't know Square Wheels had an airline. Is Wilbur the pilot? Are they providing flights to Logan for the annual shindig at the SW mansion? 

[12string]

The kids got delayed for their flight back from Hawaii on Alaska air.  They got a free trip home for Christmas,

They had nothing but good things to say

[The_Karen_Cooper_Incident]

Just thank the stars you are flying in a 737.  

They have a horrible past maintenance history and murdered hundreds of passengers with MD 80s.

They should have been dissolved as a company.

Couch

[TrentonMakes]

I don't fly often but all four legs of our trip last summer were on Alaska, originating from Philadelphia.  No complaints.

well, one complaint was the very turbulent flight back to PHL at the end of the trip, but I think that was beyond the pilots' control.  (Or is it?)  

[12string]

My wife was just about to book us a flight to Sacramento, to get to Tahoe.  Flight had a stopover in San Fran, 40 minute wait, 1 hour flight.  It would cut a bit over an hour off our drive from San Fran to Tahoe and add $60 per ticket.

[Dottleshead ★]

29 minutes ago, 12string said:

My wife was just about to book us a flight to Sacramento, to get to Tahoe.  Flight had a stopover in San Fran, 40 minute wait, 1 hour flight.  It would cut a bit over an hour off our drive from San Fran to Tahoe and add $60 per ticket.

But I always enjoyed that drive unless it early morning or mid-afternoon

 

[Ralphie ★]

4 hours ago, Scrapr said:

We love love love Alaska air. It is our preference. Big presence in Portland so that helps. A few issues with the big players. So we try as best we can to fly Alaska. The flights are getting better as far as East coast flights. They started in the NYC last year. After I accidently booked WoScrapr & myself up front for a cross country flight WoScrapr will not fly anything else. Let's just say i was not legal to drive when we got back to portland. The booze was pouring nicely

Did you have the blubber or the seal flipper?

[shootingstar]

Kirby if you're not flying the airline in deep winter season, that would be 1 less thing to worry. Meaning possibility of snow blizzards/high winds.

I was in Canada's far Arctic...for a job interview. On Baffin Island in Iqualit, capital city/town for Nunavut territory. We were stuck at the airport for 6 hrs. because a winter blizzard blew in ...150 km./hr. winds.  The plane had to fly 200 km. southwest to even land safely. This was in January over a decade ago.

 

[Guest]

Flown Alaska Ir a few times, would certainly fly with them again.

[Dottleshead ★]

3 hours ago, shootingstar said:

Kirby if you're not flying the airline in deep winter season, that would be 1 less thing to worry. Meaning possibility of snow blizzards/high winds.

I was in Canada's far Arctic...for a job interview. On Baffin Island in Iqualit, capital city/town for Nunavut territory. We were stuck at the airport for 6 hrs. because a winter blizzard blew in ...150 km./hr. winds.  The plane had to fly 200 km. southwest to even land safely. This was in January over a decade ago.

 

Ok shootingstar, I'm going to bite.  Why were you on Baffin Island?  I willing to be the percentage of folks on this globe that have been to Baffin Island is not ever worth the bother to report.  Were you following the hipsters??

[shootingstar]

Hipsters would find it tough to live Iqaluit.  It would sound "hip" for the first few months. However hipster, or any fresh food would be expensive, booze bans..seriously there are bans in some the Inuit and First Nations communities in isolated northern areas of Canada.

[Parr8hed]

They have planes.  They  are  big, pretty, white plane with red stripes, curtains in the window, and wheels, and it looks like a big Tylenol.

[Green Grass]

22 hours ago, Kirby said:

I'm looking at flights and the best schedule seems to be on Alaska Airlines.  I've never flown on them and I'm wary of smaller airlines.  They don't fly much out of NY so I"m not that familiar with them, but what I've seen online indicates they're not a low frills, budget airline and their customer satisfaction is ranked as the best.   Both are within the "approved" price range, so reliability and least horrible experience are the main criteria.  The other alternative is Delta.  Any views or experiences to share? (I wish the dirigible had more commercial routes!)

Kirby, I've flown far more than I like over the last 20 years.  Alaska Airlines is my favorite and preferred carrier if the route makes sense.  And they aren't a small carrier...they merged with Virgin America earlier this year and the combined companies have been branded as Alaska Airlines.  I've always found Virgin to be top shelf.

One feature I really like with Alaska is their 20 minute commitment.  They will have your bags at bag claim 20 minutes after landing.

[Dottleshead ★]

5 hours ago, shootingstar said:

Hipsters would find it tough to live Iqaluit.  It would sound "hip" for the first few months. However hipster, or any fresh food would be expensive, booze bans..seriously there are bans in some the Inuit and First Nations communities in isolated northern areas of Canada.

So why Baffin? It's a unique experience