Harassed & then stranded in seattle
I feel compelled to warn others about my recent experience with Alaska Airlines. What should’ve been a straightforward trip turned into a degrading and exhausting ordeal.
At Fort Lauderdale, I was singled out by Alaska ground staff and told I needed to “cover up” before boarding — despite wearing high-waisted leggings and a crop top in 86°F heat. I was pulled aside, isolated from my wife, and shamed for my appearance. No clear dress code was cited. Other passengers in far more revealing clothing boarded without issue. My wife and I are a visibly queer couple, and it felt like we were targeted and sexualized unfairly. This echoes past incidents Alaska Airlines has publicly admitted to mishandling. Nothing has changed.
In Seattle, our connection to Juneau was missed — not due to weather (as cited), but because Alaska told us to stay seated so Portland-bound passengers could get off first. We could have made our flight (our arrival gate was directly opposite the departure gate), but by the time we were allowed to move, it had left. Alaska wouldn’t hold their own plane by five minutes.
We were rebooked on a 7am flight and given a generic hotel discount link — long after midnight, on Memorial Day weekend, when everything nearby was either sold out or $300+. We are spending the night in the airport, exhausted, hungry, and without basic support. I will miss part of my friend’s wedding — the entire reason for this trip.
Between the discrimination in Fort Lauderdale, the inexplicably poor logistics in Seattle, and the total lack of compassion or assistance, I cannot recommend this airline to anyone. No apology. No ownership. Just a QR code and silence.
Do better, Alaska
I and my family have traveled internationally extensively. I have used Alaska Airlines frequently over the years and am a member of their Mileage Plan and have their credit card. On January 4th, members of my family were returning from Liberia airport in Costa Rica to the USA. We were on two different Alaska flights. My daughter and family (2 small children) were flying to LAX on an early morning flight. They arrived at the airport 2.5 hours ahead of planned departure to learn that their flight had been cancelled. They had no advance warning (no text, no email) of this, even though that information was available, long before they arrived at the airport. There was chaos at the airport and were advised to call Alaska to rebook. With a plane load of passengers all trying to call Alaska, this was a no go. After several hours, my daughter finally was able to talk to a supervisor who said that they would be put up at a hotel, a plane was being flown in the next morning, and he would see that they had seats on that flight, and to see him in the morning. As it turned out, a second Alaska flight of the day was cancelled, adding another plane load of passengers without a way home to the fray. The next morning, not only did the supervisor not secure seats for them, but it was his day off. You would think that with the chaos at the airport that Alaska would have had all hands on deck - but no, they didn't. It was only through the kindness of a security guard that my daughter's family were able to get home that day. My conclusion from this is that Alaska doesn't have sufficient staff on the ground in Liberia to handle such issues, and they don't seem trained to deal with such emergencies. I have advised my travel planner in Costa Rica to not recommend Alaska to their clients. At present, Alaska Airlines is touting their new routes to Tokyo and Seoul. I would not travel on Alaska to these destinations. Imagine if you had a similar experience there were there are few English speakers.
DRUNK FLIGHT ATTENDANT! Absolutely awful experience with Alaska Airlines. I was on a 6p.m. flight and one of the flight attendants was drunk. The other flight attendant realized the situation before we took off so everyone had to deplane and the flight attendant was escorted off by police. As a result, we were short a flight attendant so our flight got cancelled, causing me to miss work the next day. I got rebooked on a flight the following day and sent a $200 credit as an apology for the disruption in the flight. HOWEVER, I just tried to use my credit towards another flight for my husband and I and Alaska Airlines would not allow me to use the credit because I was booking it along with the companion pass I have for my husband. I was on the hold for over an hour and a half and when I finally spoke to someone and explained the situation they REFUSED TO RECTIFY IT. Avoid booking on Alaska Airlines. Their customer service is truly abysmal.
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Fly many time with Alaska airlines, they fly on time. Good service on flight as well as variety of entertainment for kids, adults. They also serve snack, drink. You can ask more if you want. They are nice staffs. Especially when you get out planes and go to get baggage. Your baggage already out there. Will fly with Alaska again.
Alaska used to considered a go-to airline. However, recently their customer service has gotten extremely poor, delays and connection times are horrible, and of course prices are through the roof for short flights.
I advise against travelling in this non-tolerant company. Route to the customers and discrimination against race. Disrespected the UFC champion Khabib. Terrible experience, staff not professional at all. I would never fly this airline again. Bathrooms were filthy before even people went. Seats were not cleaned from the previous flight. And some of the flight attendants are just rude.
I have been a mileage member of Alaska Airlines. Since last year, its customer service has been getting worse with on-hold times about 2 hours or longer. The agents are inconsiderate if you have to change your flights. They are rude and arrogant. BUYER BEWARE! BETTER SWITCH TO OTHER MAJOR AIRLINES WHO HAVE CUSTOMER SERVICE RESOURCES AND RESPECTFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENTS.
Horrible flight experience, long delays and extremely rude airline staff. This was the worst flight experience I have ever had. Will definitely avoid this airline in the future. They were inefficient and slow.
Statements on Website conflict with what is true. It says you may pick your seats after you purchase them. I did not trust it and called Alaska Airlines. I was on hold for an hour. The attendant told me I had to purchase a higher priced ticket to choose seats. Also, since Alaska had only one red eye flight to Honolulu I had to buy the ticket on Alaska website then got to Hawaiian Air website to choose the seat. Carry rules are different with both Airlines. After research I found Alaska bought Hawaiian Airlines. If you go to Hawaiian Airlines webpage you will pay more for baggage. You may carry on 1 bag 22" x 14" x 9". The second is check in at $50. Alaska Air gives you 1 carry on and 1 check in at no cost. It costs $3 with Hawaiian Air to hold a reservation even if it is 15 min. When I lived there the whole state was pleased when Southwest added flights to Hawaii. This is why. Hawaiian and Alaska- which are now one in the same- but don't operate as one in the same, are price gouging clients in an underhanded way. You don't find out there are extra charges until you pay for your nonrefundable ticket. You are better off just going with another Airline besides Alaska or Hawaiian.
I've been flying Alaska for 30 years. They have always been the best. Now they are G A R B A G E, they are no better than Spirit Airlines. Nickel and dime you to no end. Horrible customer service. If I could give 0 stars I would. H O R R I B L E.
I had 4 different delays yesterday at San Diego airport and Hank in San Diego gate 30. Really had a loT going on and took care of me and was able to find me a flight. I know it was later in the day but when I arrived In Portland I was prepared to stay in the gate gate B8 ALL NIGHT but the closing desk women I didn't get her name took care of me. She was able to get me a hotel room at the Radisson hotel, meal voucher and rides to and from airport after expecting to stay 21 hour layover. They really made it for me really happy with all of this. I really enjoyed Alaska airlines.
Takes customers to be idiots. Wants us to delay our flight to San Francisco by 24hrs, giving the two of us $50 credit for both.
Pathetic. Likely overbooked.
The old lady checking the boarding pass on Monday at 1.50pm was so rude. She needs some respect to customers and kids. Expander on our carry on was a huge deal for her. Travelling with kids is not easy therefore she needs to have patience rather than showing her attitude. Lady you shouldn't stand there to greet customers.
Worst customer service for an airline. Was delayed 5 hours. Spent 3 hours on the tarmac without water, food, or working bathroom sinks. Absolutely deplorable customer service. Was on hold for TWO HOURS and they tried to trick me into giving up my departing ticket for any shred of a refund. Will never fly Alaska again. Ranking it with Frontier and Spirit. Don't waste your money or time. Forcing me to go through DoT and FAA for any refund despite Federal regulation.
After taking care of my aunt and parents the last years of their lives… they passed away, I moved into a hotel suite thinking I’ll be in Hawaii within two weeks max. It was three years, as I wouldn’t quarantine my small dogs and/or allow them to be quarantined. Finally Alaska airlines I found would allow them in cabin with me…(provided I purchase an extra ticket). I was extremely happy! I had to go through home quarantine previously. After all this I arrive for my flight and the attendant accused me of “trying to sneak" my second dog (I purchased an $800 ticket for) on the plane. I wish I had a receipt still.
Alaska Airlines Customer Service in San Jose, Costa Rica is non-existent, be careful when flying outside of the United States on Alaska Airlines. We initially had a flight that was scheduled for 7:00 am. We find out the night before that the flight has been delayed to 4:20 pm later that day. So when we arrived at the San Jose airport at 12:45 pm to check in at the electronic kiosk, it gave us an error message stating to see an agent. So when we tried looking for an agent at the counter, there was no one there. Airport staff told us that Alaska Airline's counter is not open yet. So we go upstairs to have some coffee. At 3:00 pm, I go back down to the kiosk to check in and the same error message appears to "please see agent". I look for an agent at the counter, but airport staff tells me that they closed the counter already and they instruct me to go upstairs to the Alaska Airline office. I swiftly ride up the escalator and find the office, to my surprise there is no one at the office and I'm waiting for 15 minutes outside their office hoping someone would return since the door is wide open and the lights are on. Finally, a young man walks through the door and we explain we are tyring to check-in and his response was that it was too late, that the counter had already been closed. I said we have more than an hour left before we depart, it was 3:15 pm and now the flight is delayed again to 4:40 pm and he explains that the flight is fully booked and he is unable to let anyone on the plane. I said, "fully booked? " we have three tickets in our hand, how can it be fully booked? He continues to tell me that they already closed the counter and won't be able to help me board the plane. He then directs me to call customer service for Alaska Airlines, the 1-800 number in the United States, after being on hold for about 35 minutes on the phone, an agent finally is available, I explain to her the situation and when I asked if she could get me on the next flight, she explains that the next available flight is in two days. One of the issues with Alaska Airlines is that they don't partner with other airlines, so they simply can't put me on the next flight with another airlines. When I asked if they would provide a place for me to stay, they told me that only the agent at the counter can provide vouchers. I explained that the counter agent instructed me to call customer service, but now customer service is telling me that I should be speaking with the counter agent. I told my wife to run upstairs to the Alaska Airlines office to look for the counter agent and when she did, the office was closed with no one in sight. I explained to her that we can't find anyone working at Alaska Airlines at the San Jose, Costa Rica Airport. The customer service agent proceeds to call an Alaska Airlines agent at the San Jose airport, but no luck. I end up staying another day and booking a hotel on my own, As I wait for an Uber to pick me up at the airport, I see the same Alaska Airlines Counter agent going home and I told him I called customer service but they told me to seek a counter agent instead. He tells me he needs to leave, but a supervisor is back at the office. When I run back to the Alaska Airlines office, the doors are locked up with the lights turned off. I realized that the counter agent basically abandoned me in a foreign country knowing that I had a missed a flight and was trying to get back home. He basically tried to pass on those responsibilities to another person. I was hoping that Alaska Airlines had decent customer service, but I guess that does not apply at the San Jose Airport. Sometimes the cheapest flights turn out to be the most expensive. No working kiosk and no one at the counter when needed. It's fine when things are operating smoothly, but when there is a hiccup, Alaska Airlines has trouble providing solutions. On the other hand, the customer service agent from the U.S. was courteous and tried her best to provide a solution, but unfortunately, she could not get a hold of any employee at the San Jose airport either.
I have had experiences with several airlines, and I have found Alaska to be one of the best. The prices are consistently among the fairest. I even searched the bargain websites, and one site listed the two flights I had selected at Alaska as their bargain flight. At the same price. Another site's pricing was over 800.00 higher. Check and find out for yourself. The service is excellent, and the cabin seating is comfortable. Price is nice but the most important feature is that flights are on time, and I can't remember any cancellations of flights which I have experienced with other companies. Overall, this airline is definitely one of the best!
I'M SO PISSED RIGHT NOW. I fly Alaska all the time, on Monday, December 2nd, 2024 I had a flight around 8:00 that was delayed to 9:45 pm which is fine, I was flying out of Burbank into Seattle. I came with my three children way before boarding. It’s a small airport and it only takes us 10 minutes to give bags and to go through TSA. When I got there, there was no agents, one woman came out of nowhere telling me I’m late and they’re no longer taking luggage. I was willing to rebook the next available flight, instead she gave me a 800 customer service number to call to rebook the 7:00 am flight and the hold time to get an agent was 4:00 hrs long, actually, it’s been exactly 5:40 minutes and I’m still waiting for an agent. I did end up booking another flight about 30 minutes ago for 7:00 am because I couldn’t trust their system to get anyone on the phone to help me with my missed flight. But I’m only still on hold to actually see how long it will take to get a live person on the phone so I can curse them out. I’m so mad. I just spend $1,700 for last minute flight that I didn’t need to.
Flight from SFO delayed for almost four hours this week because Alaska Airlines delayed or deferred maintenance which required an emergency equipment and systems inspection before the plane was allowed to fly.
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