# Screw you, Alaska Airlines **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 30, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500 "2009-11-30T18:21:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/21 "2009-11-30T19:28:40Z")
Presumably you are still at PDX taking advantage of the free WiFi. If so, take advantage of the Max Train. Travel to the Cascades Station (just east of the airport) and waste your time at Ikea (the food is good), Best Buy and the other stores and restaurants along the Cascades Parkway. Or just take the Max and ride back downtown. Just remember to be at PDX on time, according to the airline’s clock, and not yours. ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/22 "2009-11-30T19:29:11Z")
> [@magnusblitz](#): > > Funny though how taking the right tone can help. If I just had a blowhard like **Rumor\_Watkins** responding… you remind me of a kid in those anecdotes where the parent calls up their child’s boss because the child screwed up at work and got chewed out by the boss, but the child didn’t have the character to deal with their bosses themselves. it’s the pit, it’s not romper room. go change your huggies and get a warm bottle of milk if you don’t want to be called out for your abject stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/23 "2009-11-30T19:30:32Z")
Lame pitting. You made a small mistake, the airlines forced you to pay for said mistake by not letting the mistake slide, “just this once”. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/24 "2009-11-30T19:39:37Z")
Yup, you were in the wrong here. Hope you had a nice vacation. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/25 "2009-11-30T19:44:21Z")
I’m sorry you missed your flight, but I think your “screw you” is misplaced. I fly Alaska/Horizon quite frequently and their staff have always been helpful and pleasant. For example, they’ve put me on a later flight without charging a penalty when I didn’t arrive in time for a flight. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/26 "2009-11-30T20:10:02Z")
When we landed in Vegas there was an announcement that for that airport you have to check in two hours before scheduled departure or they’ll give your seat away. I guess a lot of people don’t take their return flight for one reason or another? ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/27 "2009-11-30T20:16:09Z")
Christ, I always get to the airport four hours early even if it’s a domestic flight. Yeah, sitting around sucks, but that’s why God invented iPods and airport bookstores selling the latest Clive Cussler nonsense. Oh, and the airport bar. Thank God for the airport bar. ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/28 "2009-11-30T20:22:43Z")
> [@magnusblitz](#): > > I have never seen boarding actually begin before the takeoff time. Boarding always gets delayed for some reason. You have a point in that its less likely for an early flight, but if the plane’s not going to take off until 655, there’s no reason that they should cut you off before 655 (or maybe 650 or 645 if they want everyone in their seats before pre-flight checkoff etc when they start firing up the engines or something). I assume you mean _scheduled_ takeoff time. I would pay money to see an attempted boarding _after_ actual takeoff! 🙂 As someone who travels frequently, I have to say that the typical flight does start boarding about 30 minutes before scheduled takeoff, and is more or less on time. I expect if you allowed people to rock up at or near the scheduled takeoff time you would never have an on time flight again, given how long it takes for people to get settled once on the aircraft. Even now with boarding starting at 30 minutes before with a hard 10 minute before cutoff there is hardly any free time between having all the passengers settled and actually being able to fly. Also, without a cutoff point some time before actual takeoff there would be no way to implement a stand-by mechanism, where they could let someone else take your seat if you didn’t show up. This is a valuable service to people who get a chance to go home early, and is a nice source of additional revenue for the airline. I would rather they invent additional sources of revenue like this rather than jack up prices for everyone. Honestly, you are lucky that they didn’t charge you for changing your flight to the later one - I do not believe they are under any obligation to let you travel for free on the later flight. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/29 "2009-11-30T20:47:44Z")
I fly once, MAYBE twice a year. Nobody who has any inkling what the F they are doing thinks they are going to make their flight if they get to the airport 30 minutes before departure. There are so many snags it’s just not even funny. Just assuming they checked you in so close to departure, and there is only a 5 minute ETA from the ticket counter to the gate (which in most airports would be laughable), you still have the chance that you could stop by the bathroom, etc and thus delay the flight. Also, they do need the opportunity to be able to offer those waiting for unclaimed (but purchased) seats a chance to board as well, and still leave on time. In short, jsut like everyone else said, your expectations are way out of line with reality. Just because you were lucky this one time and you might have made it to the gate on time, that is no reason for anyone to waive rules for you. ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/30 "2009-11-30T21:51:26Z")
> [@crazyjoe](#): > > I fly once, MAYBE twice a year. Nobody who has any inkling what the F they are doing thinks they are going to make their flight if they get to the airport 30 minutes before departure. There are so many snags it’s just not even funny. Some airports are better than others. Assuming a prior check-in online to get around the 30 minute rule I think I would have been fine for all of my Sacramento departures if I had arrived 30 minutes prior to departure. Security is super quick and the gates are a short walk away. Typically the gates are closed 10 minutes before departure and you can get through Sacramento airport in less than 20 minutes easily. Of course it is silly to do this since any slight inconvenience could push you over the edge (slightly longer security lines, etc). Also, some airlines do say you have to be available for boarding, not just check-in, before 30 minutes, meaning if they are ahead of schedule and everyone else is already checked in they could resell your seat or decide you aren’t worth waiting for. Sacramento is pretty fine as far as airports go. One of the fastest and easiest to use (plus free wi-fi!). I think this stunt would guarantee a missed flight in places like Atlanta. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/31 "2009-11-30T23:26:19Z")
I would blame the owner’s right wing conservative religious nut beliefs for your missing your flight. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Bith\_Shuffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@The\_Bith\_Shuffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Bith_Shuffle)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/32 "2009-12-01T00:49:55Z")
The OP would have been better if it did not contain any truth-claims whatsoever and just let it out like this: “waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!” I know the feeling. ---
**Author:** ![Critical\_Mass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@Critical\_Mass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical_Mass)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/33 "2009-12-01T01:23:51Z")
Airline manager here. Small airplanes (35 seat variety). We cut off check-ins 30 minutes prior to scheduled departure time. There are a number of reasons why. On time to us means pushing back from the gate at the indicated departure time. This means passengers should be seated and belted in by 10 minutes prior to stated time. This means calling the flight and commencing boarding 20 minutes prior to stated time. Weight and balance calculations, fuel load, fuelling and loading baggage and cargo. We maximize revenues by hauling as much cargo as possible to the extent the plane departs at maximum take off weight. Calculations and loading take a few minutes and we don’t know how much cargo there’s room for until all passengers are checked in. We have a good idea, but eventually we need to know how many passengers we have and how much their baggage weighs. We have to take into consideration the weight of the fuel required for the flight, plus the passengers and their bags to determine how much cargo we can put on the plane. Then we have to calculate where it can go on the plane to keep it within centre of gravity limits. Then we have to put bags and cargo on the plane. Then we have to provide the flight crew with a list of passengers, where they’re sitting, a manifest of cargo and where it’s located in the plane. We have to have all the data available 30 minutes prior to departure time so we can have the aircraft loaded, serviced and buttoned up for an on time departure. That’s why we want passengers to be checked in an hour before departure and we cut it off at 30 minutes prior. ---
**Author:** ![BorgHunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@BorgHunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BorgHunter)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/34 "2009-12-01T01:26:05Z")
> [@magnusblitz](#): > > I got up at 500, showered and left at 520, thinking it would take about 45 minutes to get from Salem to Portland, which would get me there around 6am. I would generally regard 55 minutes as a wildly insufficient cushion before scheduled takeoff. I usually plan to get to the airport two hours before my flight departs, even for pleasant airports like Tampa. I’ll be flying out of O’Hare in a couple weeks for the annual family visit; might give myself two and a half then just to be on the safe side. Because the train to the airport might decide to break down, or maybe United will have insufficient agents to take my bag, or maybe there will be an insufficient number of TSA rent-a-cops, or maybe, or maybe. I’ll take a wasted hour and a half in the airside terminal over the expense and hassle of potentially missing my flight for some frustrating reason. It also makes for less stress once you’re in the airport, as you’re not standing in line checking your watch every fifteen seconds wondering if you have sufficient time. Anyway, hope you have a pleasant late flight. Chances are it’ll be delayed, just to add that final cherry on top of what sounds like a rather frustrating day, but maybe the air travel gods will at least give you a flight bereft of crying babies and/or fat guys sitting next to you. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/35 "2009-12-01T01:38:45Z")
> [@sqweels](#): > > Alaska And speaking of Southwest Airlines, whose advertising slogan is, “bags fly free”: It’s great that they offer a 2-for-1 deal for married couples, but is that any way to refer to a man’s wife? You take the blonde, I’ll take the one in the turban. ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/36 "2009-12-01T01:40:34Z")
> [@Critical\_Mass](#): > > Airline manager here. now you’re just arguing anecdotes, asshat. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![magnusblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@magnusblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magnusblitz)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/37 "2009-12-01T02:08:01Z")
> [@susan](#): > > I’m sorry you missed your flight, but I think your “screw you” is misplaced. I fly Alaska/Horizon quite frequently and their staff have always been helpful and pleasant. For example, they’ve put me on a later flight without charging a penalty when I didn’t arrive in time for a flight. And they did for me too; which, looking at it now, I realize is a Thoughtful Thing To Do. Also, I had already given Alaska some mental props since I had originally purchased my tickets through American and they had been jerking me around (switching my flights when the original still was going, claiming it wasn’t their fault, not telling me that I would have to check in at the Alaska terminal, etc). A call to Alaska and they were happy to take over control of the tickets and handle everything more efficiently. > [@The\_Bith\_Shuffle](#): > > The OP would have been better if it did not contain any truth-claims whatsoever and just let it out like this: “waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!” > > I know the feeling. Yeah, in the end, I think that’s really what I was just seeking. Blow off the steam, and instead it came out as an undeserved pitting. I was obviously off on some of the truth-claims, but hey, that’s why we come to the SD right… fighting ignorance. Consider mine fought; and myself properly chastised. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/38 "2009-12-01T02:48:45Z")
I hope you’ll be on that 8 PM plane and all will be well. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/39 "2009-12-01T05:28:16Z")
> [@susan](#): > > I hope you’ll be on that 8 PM plane and all will be well. If he flew to LAX, it departed PDX at 8:28 pm PST, **two minutes ahead** of the scheduled 8:30 pm departure. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500/40 "2009-12-01T09:52:16Z")
On one occasion, I watched a couple of people run past the gate despite it having been closed for quite some time. ([The pilot and co-pilot were very late.](http://my.tbaytel.net/culpeper/PickleLakeLow.htm) 😃 ) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-alaska-airlines/519500.md?page=3)