Letter To Alaska
Mr. John Kelly
President, Alaska Airlines
P.O. Box 68900
Seattle, WA 98168
Dear Mr. President:
I’m having a problem with your radio ads. You know…the ones where your mom can’t believe that “For the same price you just get more.” Generally speaking, I would agree.
Alaska is my favorite airline, and I routinely opt for Alaska over other airlines. I am an Alaska Airlines Frequent Flyer, presently sitting on a stack of 30,000+ miles , and last year I had Seafirst change my Visa card to an Alaska Airlines Visa. That card gets 95% of my credit business.
All this having been said, a couple recent incidents have really tweaked my altimeter. The first occurred last December 15th, when I flew to Puerto Vallarta via Los Angeles on Flight 194. It was a 6:40 a.m. flight out Sea-Tac, which, given early check-in times required these days, meant I was barely awake when I boarded the plane. The most important thing for me as soon as we were off the ground was a decent cup of coffee. Now, I don’t know why Horizon serves Starbucks and its parent serves Caravelli, but at that time of the morning I could care less. All I want is my caffeine fix. Imagine my shock and horror when the flight attendant informed me that there was NO COFFEE AVAILABLE on the flight! What??? Seattle is the modern equivalent of mocha Mecca, and there’s no coffee??? The stew apologized profusely, and I managed to burble, “Okay, just give me some tea.”
“I’m sorry,” came the reply. “We have no tea, either.” I was stunned. I felt like Joe Camel without a billboard. It seems the reason there was no coffee or tea on my flight is because nobody had loaded the water necessary to make it! Whoever dropped that ball should be consigned to a life of decaf diet Snapple. I don’t usually pack a thermos on a plane flight, but obviously I should have that day. Your pilot is lucky the passengers didn’t mutiny and force him down in Portland to take on supplies. We were one cranky bunch of snowbirds.
Incident number two occurred two weeks ago. I purchased a round trip ticket to Oakland for August 19th /26th during the recent seat sale, a flight I was going to book on Southwest until I found Alaska was matching the fare. Per my loyal Alaska history –and with the dedication of Kenneth Starr to a lost cause– I switched the trip to Alaska. I chose a dinner flight and asked for my customary seafood meal.
“Sorry, sir,” came the reply, “Alaska no longer offers the seafood meal.”
Huh? Excuse me, I think the head of Alfredo Fettuccini just turned up in my carry-on. Would you repeat that, please? The only thing bigger than Boeing, Microsoft and coffee in Seattle is seafood. What do you mean you no longer offer a seafood meal?
“Well, sir, whoever determines the dietary requirements for passengers apparently determined seafood was no longer a necessary option.”
Who was that, the Sturgeon General?
“We have a vegetarian meal if you like.” Oh yeah, sure thing…NOT! I know what those are like because my partner had the misfortune of ordering one on one of those flights to Puerto Vallarta. You’re suggesting I exchange my tasty prawns and assorted aquatic delicacies for celery sticks and dry whole wheat bread? Thanks, anyway.
So, Mr. President, looks like I’ll be packing a lunch for that Oakland-Seattle flight, and all future Alaska flights, instead of getting the outstanding Alaska food service I’ve come to expect. For the same price, it appears I’m just getting less, not more. If I were you, I’d have a talk with my ad writers. I wouldn’t go so far as to claim bait-and-switch, but I would very much like to have my bait back. And maybe a little hot coffee to wash it downstream.
Sincerely yours,
Jef Jaisun
Frequent Flyer 04067372