MetaChat - Airline recommendations?

MetaChat is an informal place for MeFites to touch base and post, discuss and chatter about topics that may not belong on MetaFilter. Questions? Check the FAQ. Please note: This is important.

20 February 2006

Airline recommendations? If you had to choose between United, American, Northwest, and Alaska and they all pretty much cost the same, which would you pick? SEA to SFO nonstop, so no hub issues.

post by: matildaben at: 18:13 | 18 comments

I like Alaska best. I used it constantly from PDX to SFO when I was visiting here regularly. Half the time the flights weren't full and could get any seat I wanted or even a free upgrade.

posted by Frisbee Girl 20 February | 18:19

Isn't Alaska Airlines owned and/or run by born-again Xtians though?

posted by matildaben 20 February | 18:23

Alaska USED to be the best, hands down. Ever since they outsourced their baggage handlers, though, they've been having tons of problems - some quite serious. I'd fly Northwest.

posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson 20 February | 18:25

Or United.

posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson 20 February | 18:26

I'd fly American, on the basis that they have the most legroom.

posted by mosch 20 February | 18:30

United is nice. Try to get an exit row seat and you'll have a lot of room to stretch out. To be absolutely sure, however, try Seat Guru for the bottom line.

posted by mr_crash_davis 20 February | 18:31

I'm 5'6" and taking carry-on. But yeah, the baggage problems at Seattle were legendary for Alaska.

posted by matildaben 20 February | 18:35

I'm recalling (vaguely) that it was the LDS that were related to Alaska Airlines.

posted by Triode 20 February | 18:41

Alaska Airlines is notorious for being a bit pushy with the company owners' Christianity. I wouldn't necessarily give it a second thought (beyond the question of whether I really want to be given a prayer card on and airplane), except that I suspect the Christianity translates into political conservatism, which translated into union-busting, which has translated into safety problems.

> It was a bit disconcerting to receive a statement about an all-powerful, invisible man who promises life after death from a company that had already promised me they would use non-Godly means to keep me from falling out of the sky.

posted by stilicho 20 February | 19:20

I'd fly American, on the basis that they have the most legroom.

American stopped that program on many flights so you have a chance of having "The Same Room In Coach"

Having said that, I still prefer American of the choices you mentioned.

posted by birdherder 20 February | 20:06

I went with United. The price kept going up the longer I waited so I just picked a time.

posted by matildaben 20 February | 20:10

For such a short flight, I always pick based on time/price. And since you've already bought your ticket, I'll just say this for posterity - I think United fucking sucks. I've always had old-ass dirty planes with the worst of everything when I've flown United - especially international where the competition has some gorgeous planes.

posted by mullacc 20 February | 20:57

I prefer Northwest, then American and United. I have never flown Alaska.

posted by arse_hat 20 February | 21:19

I've only heard bad things about Alaska.

posted by Five Fresh Fish 20 February | 21:22

I used to fly Alaska only; now I wouldn't get on one of their planes for love or money. Baggage handlers have thrown dogs into the baggage hold, they've ripped hole in the fuselage of a plane and then not reported it (causing a mid-air depressurization)... no thnks. We just flew down to Sacramento last weekend on Southwest, which I swore I'd never use again. It wasn't too bad, which I guess is the best you can hope for these days.

All of which is moot, given that you've already bought tix, but I pass it on anyway.

posted by bmarkey 20 February | 21:29

I prefer Zepplins, myself. No rush, no fuss. Just avoid the cheap "hydrogen lift" flights.

posted by warbaby 20 February | 22:14

American all the way--i alway have good flights with them, and they're very gay-friendly, unlike Northwest, for instance--...At his company's Christmas party, Anders won a pair of round-trip airline tickets from Northwest Airlines, to be used by him and a companion. He chose his partner of fifteen years, and they decided to use the free trip to visit Anders' mother and attend a family reunion in Florida. The airline, however, refused to accept Anders' partner as the other passenger. A Northwest representative said that the airline would recognize only a spouse, another airline employee, or a dependent child as a "companion." ...

posted by amberglow 20 February | 22:29

Man amberglow thats fucked up. I refuse to fly Southwest and tell any employer that up front. Jet Blue is good but has limited routes.

posted by arse_hat 20 February | 23:16

← Pee stains || Sympathy Gift Help Req'd: →

HOME || REGISTER || LOGIN