American and Alaska leave their relationship hanging by a thread

[jimntx]

Not much left of 20+ year relationship. Cranky Flyer discusses reason for changes here:
https://crankyflier.com/2019/10/02/...artnership-hanging-by-a-thread-with-new-cuts/

 

[eolesen]

Sad. I was part of the team that spun up the original codesharing with Alaska, which evolved out of the interchange flights we had flying FAI-ANC-SEA-ORD-DCA (AA metal) and IAH-DFW-SEA-ANC-FAI (AS metal). Both airlines flew ex-Braniff 727-227's so it was easy to simply swap crews at SEA.

When the 727's were being retired, we had no choice but to work out the codeshare because the MD80 cockpits between AA and AS were so different, and neither union was wild about having another airline fly their airplanes lest it become scope creep...

 

[CremaDiLimone]

when aa did alaska in ord..alaska was known as being very demanding. extra training..etc..their right, they paid aa to work their flights.

alaska uses menzies ground handling now, and alaska gets exactly what they pay for.

i work near the interline connection belt at the intl. terminal, and i see alaska intl. interline bags sitting for days in the same spot.

their MBR takes a hit every day.

 

[eolesen]

Not surprised they'd use Menzies. They're one of their largest customers if not the largest.

 

[CremaDiLimone]

Not surprised they'd use Menzies. They're one of their largest customers if not the largest.

for alaska intl. interline pax connecting in ord, it's really sad.

example, another vendor handles qatar, and i believe they are responsible for handling qr's interline bags. they let qr's interline bags sit.

menzies also works frontier, in ord. frontier is now based out of intl. t5. the frontier pier is next to the interline belt. they don't take those bags either, though menzies also handles alaska in terminal 2.

aa delivers alaska interlines off aa intl. flights.

the story here is that a menzies, a swissport, etc., exist for one sole reason. you get what you pay for..and alaska's MBR takes a hit as the last carrier and it's pax suffer.