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Business Profile

Airlines

Alaska Airlines

Headquarters

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

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Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Alaska Airlines's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

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    Customer Complaints Summary

    • 620 total complaints in the last 3 years.
    • 204 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

    If you've experienced an issue

    Submit a Complaint

    The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

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    Complaint status

    Complaint type

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:07/01/2025

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      On June 24th of the present year I was returning from ******** to *********** on the flight 1399 by Alaska Airlines my seat assigned was 33F at the time to board one of their employees checking the boarding passes decided to change my ticket the reason was the weight( not my weight but the plane weight supposedly )I didn't understand but I explained that I suffer from a illness called Mernier syndrome and I get vertigo so I rather two not be seated between to people he asked me to ask the flight attendant to change me ,the seat was at the end of the plane no one was seated the seat they assigned me was between two women I explained that I needed to move a flight attendant named ********* yelled me in front of everyone with a very gay voice saying this : this is not a private plane take the seat you got assigned ! I explained my issue he keep repeating the same I tried to stay calm due to respect to the other passengers then eventually when he came back serving the snacks he dropped an ice cube on me he don't even apologized I felt discriminated I felt that my money wasn't worthy I wonder if he treats the same way the first class passenger my issue wasn't the seat it was that due my health issue not because I just wanted a better seat I ask for the refund of my money Im not flying again with this racist company

      Business Response

      Date: 07/01/2025







      July 1, 2025


      Dear *****,

      Thank you for your email to the Better Business Bureau regarding your experience on 6/24/2025.
      I am sorry for your experience with us. To ensure your concerns are thoroughly reviewed, our **************************** will be reaching out to you via email once they have researched and reviewed what you have shared regarding this situation.?This response may take up to 30 days to be received. They will reach out upon the conclusion of their review.

      As always, thank you for contacting Alaska and have a wonderful day.


      Sincerely,



      *****
      Customer Care Representative II


      Reference#: ********

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:06/30/2025

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      Alaska Airlines flight from DEN-ANC on 6/20 delayed for over 4 hours due to fueling issues with a stopover in ******* for refueling. Originally supposed to arrive 1230 did not arrive until 1730. Compensation for missed reservations, time on the ground and in the plane at gate was just $125 per person as future use credit. Furthermore, on the return flight ANC-DEN on 6/29, 30 min before boarding was to start, the flight was cancelled. No other flights would return to DEN before 1430 the following day. My wife suffered an urgent medical issue and had an doctors appointment that could not be missed on 6/30. The gate agent could best get us to DEN at 1430 which would miss her appointment and affect multiple plans that were already made. The gate agent told us that customer care could reimburse for flights costs on another airline. This was a lie. First of all, it took 4 hours to get ahold of customer care with runaround phone number and being on hold. Then finally the agent says we do not reimburse and we will just refund that portion of the flight. Spent $1136 to make it to DEN with false statement of reimbursement. There should be compensation for our time, stress, non Alaska Airlines flight purchases. At the very least a flight voucher for future use. The agent was very brash and had a harsh tone when I outlined all of our issues. She seemed not to care or help us. I felt unheard.

      Business Response

      Date: 07/01/2025







      July 1, 2025


      Dear Mayurj,

      Thank you for your email to the Better Business Bureau regarding confirmation LDPTLA.
      I regret that your flight on 6/20/2025 was delayed and diverted due to inclement weather followed by your flight on 6/29/2025 being canceled due to a crew issue. I understand your disappointment in arriving to your destination later than anticipated and I am truly sorry for your experience. While we will continue to strive for the highest levels of operational excellence and reliability as an airline, we will never compromise your welfare or the trust you place in us for the sake of reliability statistics. I appreciate your understanding of our steadfast commitment to your safety.
      I understand that you are requesting that the new flight that you booked on another airline be reimbursed as that is what you were advised by the Customer ********************** Agent at the airport. Unfortunately, as advised by our ************* Representative you spoke with, the reimbursement of your new flight cannot be offered as you were rebooked on Alaska but chose not to take that flight. You have my apologies for the misinformation that was given and your feedback has been shared with our Customer ********************** Manager in Anchorage for their review.
      You have my apologies hold time for our ************* Department was 4 hours. At ******************** we believe there is never an excuse for poor service. While we understand the importance of providing quick, convenient service from our ************* Department, holiday travel, inclement weather and staffing shortages can cause long hold times. I can assure you that our ************* Management Team makes every effort to offer fast, friendly service and I once again apologize that we did not provide that for you.
      I am sorry to hear about the brash and unhelpful tone of the ************* Representative you spoke with. We strive to provide compassionate and effective support, and I regret that this was not your experience. Your feedback has been shared with our ************* Management Team for their review.

      As for your compensation request. Upon my review I see that our ************* Representative issued both you and Krystna $175 Discount Codes. Please see her email below.

      As always, thank you for contacting Alaska and have a wonderful day.

      Sincerely,



      *****
      ************* Representative II


      Reference#: 11345803








      July 1, 2025


      Dear Mayurj,

      Thank you for sharing your feedback regarding recent travel. It's our goal to make sure every trip you have on Alaska goes smoothly. The best way for us to do that is hearing from you.

      As a customer ********************** gesture, we've included two new Discount Codes at the bottom of this email for future travel on Alaska. To use the code, go to ******************************************************* and enter it into the discount code field on the right side of the booking form.

      Your discount is valid for ticketing for one year and is good for travel between any of the +115 destinations operated by Alaska Airlines. This discount is limited to a single reservation and only one discount code can be used per reservation. Complete discount code rules and restrictions can be found online at ***********************.

      Mayurj ****, Discount Code ECSR175CCGQJ041923, in the amount of $175

      ******* *******, Discount Code ECSR175CMGYJ041924, in the amount of $175

      I hope that you will accept my invitation to join us on another flight. I'm confident that we will once again live up to your expectations.



      Sincerely,



      **** *.
      ************* Representative


      Reference#: ********

      Customer Answer

      Date: 07/01/2025

       
      Complaint: 23538360

      I am rejecting this response because:

      The information we received on 6/20 directly from the pilot and gate agent was due to overfueling of the airplane. Additionally, for our flight on 6/29, the stress, time, and runaround to get our own flights home for an Alaska Airlines crew issue, which should have been relayed way farther in advance than 30 minutes before boarding. Not to mention how rude your customer agent was after finally getting ahold of customer care. Further, the email I directly received from the customer care showed $150 even though on the phone she told me $175 each. This practice makes this whole situation feel very business-forward and not friendly to consumers. $175 per person is not enough to compensate for this all of the headache and loss of time to get to this point. There needs to be more. 

      Sincerely,

      ***** ****

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:06/30/2025

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      Alaska Airlines agent was inconsiderate and rude. I dropped off my wife and our bags at the ************ and drove to the rental car return while she checked our bags and went through ***. Because of our inexperience with the LAX airport and the distance between the rental car facilities and terminal, I ended up getting late to board. I asked my wife to tell agents that I'd be own my way and arrive before the closing time scheduled to 8:20 AM. *** lines were longer than usual and took me more time than expected, even with that I made to the gate at 8:19 AM, but the agent had already closed the gate even though she was told I was on my way. She called my wife a liar and that I was not going to make it. Even though I got to the gate 1 minute earlier than the actual closure time, she did not allow us to go in. I was barefoot, running through the airport, and almost having a heart attack. I saw the airplane standing there for extra 5 minutes before starting maneuvering to go the track. There would be no impact to Alaska and to other passengers if that agent let us in. I felt that we were mistreated and specifically my wife was prejudiced against because of her nationality.I called Alaska for a rebook of this reservation, and even though my ticket was a saver ticket, in-person agents told me that it was possible to only pay for the rebooking fee. That did not happen. I ended up having to pay for additional tickets and paid a total of $818.60 for a one-way trip for two people. I believe this to be a great example of price gouging. I understand there is an offer-demand curve, but more than $400 for a one-way trip per person in the economy cabin is outrageous. I felt I was scammed by the company and will need now to go through a financial burden because of this.

      Business Response

      Date: 07/01/2025







      July 1, 2025


      Dear *****,

      Thank you for your email to the Better Business Bureau regarding your experience on 6/24/2025.

      I am sorry for your experience with us. To ensure your concerns are thoroughly reviewed, our **************************** will be reaching out to you via email once they have researched and reviewed what you have shared regarding this situation.?This response may take up to 30 days to be received.??They will reach out upon the conclusion of their review.

      As always, thank you for contacting Alaska and have a wonderful day.


      Sincerely,



      *****
      Customer Care Representative II


      Reference#: ********

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:06/26/2025

      Type:Product Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      On June 4, 2025, I purchased three roundtrip flight tickets from Alaska Airlines through their website. The tickets were intended for a trip to ********, ******, scheduled from July 7 to July 11, 2025. However, after the purchase, I discovered that all three tickets were mistakenly booked to *******, *****, instead of ********. I never received a confirmation email at the time of purchase, which prevented me from realizing the error sooner.Upon discovering the issue, I contacted Alaska Airlines. They acknowledged the error but only issued a 50% credit for two of the three tickets and refused to issue any refund for the third. Since I did not use any of these tickets, and this booking mistake was not noticed due to the lack of confirmation sent by the airline, I believe a full refund is reasonable.I have already submitted a dispute through my credit card company (Dispute ID: ***********, and now I am also filing this complaint with BBB in the hope of resolving the issue fairly.

      Business Response

      Date: 06/27/2025







      June 27, 2025


      Dear Yeonwoo,

      Thank you for your email to the Better Business Bureau regarding confirmation JRTPTN.

      I understand that you purchased three Saver Fare tickets on 6/4/2025 and did not realize you booked the wrong location until 6/26/2025. You said that you were never sent a confirmation email so you did not know about this error right away. When booking tickets on Alaska we have you review your flight selection and show your selected flights although out the booking process. Additionally, upon my review I see that we did send you a confirmation email on 6/4/2025 at 2:11pm PDT to the email address [email protected]. 

      As for the refund, our Reservations Agent did make an exception to refund 50% of all three of your tickets as you were past the 14 day mark which allows for a 50% of our Saver Fares, so an additional refund will not be offered. I have provided a link if you would like the full terms and conditions of our Saver Fares. Saver fares on Alaska Airlines flights - Alaska Airlines

      You also mentioned that you are disputing your purchase with your bank. Because this was a not a fraudulent booking, I have notified our Revenue Protection Department.

      As always, thank you for contacting Alaska and have a wonderful day.

      Sincerely,



      Rhyan
      Customer Care Representative II


      Reference#: 11327602

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:06/26/2025

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      Booked a flight via American Express travel with Alaska Airlines months ago, went to check in today and was told we had to see an agent on site. Called Alaska and were told we were in paid seats that were not paid for.- Phone agent said we had to pay $85 a seat or all five of us needed to sit in middle seats - The website chose the seats and we were never asked to pay for seats selected - We checked the Alaska app several times since purchase and were never asked to pay - We even had to move one of the five seats and paid, Alaska app did not request other payment - After 90 minutes on the phone a supervisor for Alaska joined but blamed American Express - Supervisor was nice but stated notes would be entered to waive the fee but still could not confirm our seats or allow us to check in, instead asking us to arrive extra early to speak with an agent on site - Supervisor stated seats are still not guaranteed and stated they could only add notes in the ticketing system for airport personnel to review - We have the same issue and notes for our return flight My family is stuck between two large corporations blaming each other for system issues without resolution other than notes on the account. For a 7am departure on 6/27/25 (tomorrow), flying across the country we would like more assurances that are out seats are confirmed and we can check in.Thank you, *******

      Business Response

      Date: 06/27/2025







      June 27, 2025


      Dear Patick,

      Thank you for your email to the Better Business Bureau regarding confirmation CEEBYP.

      I was very sorry to hear about the seating and check-in issue you encountered and that is took 90 minutes on the phone to not get a full resolve. Unfortunately, the seats that you were assigned do require a seat fee, so American Express should not have assigned those seats without that extra charge. I was happy to see the note in your reservation and that you and your family were able to check-in and keep your preferred seats together.

      If you need further assistance with your reservation, please contact our Reservations Department directly at 1-800-252-7522. They are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

      Alternatively, Reservations may be reached via chat or text. More information about these communication channels may be found at https://www.alaskaair.com/content/about-us/

      As always, thank you for contacting Alaska and have a wonderful day.


      Sincerely,



      Rhyan
      Customer Care Representative II


      Reference#: 11327669

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:06/26/2025

      Type:Product Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      MY name is ******* *****. On June 11, I purchased a ticket from ************* to ******* of June 20 for 200$ and another ticket from ******* to ************* for 281$ for me and my 3-year-old son in compliance with a court order from **********. This ticket was purchased with protection to ensure a refund for any issues if necessary. I have been stuck in ********** since June 20 and will not return to ******* until next month due to a court order from Contra Costa County under Judge *****. Alaska Airlines has refused to give me a refund even though I'm requesting a government exemption and my tickets had extra protection purchased with the ticket. I have both court documents and incident reports from June 20 to today. To add, the flight from ************* to ** was a layover flight to *******, where Alaska Airlines handled the flight from ************* to LAX, and Spirit Airlines was in charge of LAX to *******. However, Spirit gave me the refund due to the exemption. Those documents are included.

      Business Response

      Date: 06/26/2025







      June 26, 2025


      Dear Emperor,

      Thank you for your email to the Better Business Bureau regarding your refund request.

      I understand that you purchased two ticket on Alaska and have been told that you cannot receive a refund for them. Upon my review I found that both of your tickets are Saver Fares and when booking travel on our website, like you did for your outbound ticket you will be given the option to select a Saver Fare, Main cabin, Premium or First Class ticket, depending on availability. When you select the Saver Fare a box will pop up advising you of the restrictions of our Saver Fare compared to our Main cabin fares and does show the fare rules as shown below.


      Passengers are allowed one carry-on and one personal item. Overhead bin space is on a first-come, first-served basis. Elite Mileage Plan passengers keep elite boarding status.
      Elite members do not receive preferred seating benefits. For tickets booked on or after May 22, 2023, elite members are eligible for same-day upgrade benefits with Saver fares 2 hours prior to departure. On all fares including Saver, elites receive bonus miles, baggage allowances, check-in benefits, and priority boarding. All other Saver fare rules and restrictions apply to MVP members.
      Our 24-hour cancellation policy applies to all fares. When cancelled, Saver fares are eligible for a credit of 50% of the ticket value when canceled at least 14 days prior to departure of the first flight on the ticket. Otherwise Saver fares may not be changed or cancelled.
      For tickets booked on or after May 22, 2023, Saver fare guests earn miles at a rate of 30% of Main Cabin fares.
      Saver fares cannot choose seats. Seats will be assigned to you at the airport.
      For your return ticket that your booked via Priceline, they too advise that your ticket is restrictive and does not allow for changes or cancelations. So unfortunately, a refund for your Saver Fare tickets cannot be offered. I am very sorry for any disappointment this may cause and I sincerely appreciate your understanding in this matter. That said, if you purchased trip insurance, please reach out to them directly for further assistance. 



      As always, thank you for contacting Alaska and have a wonderful day.


      Sincerely,



      Rhyan
      Customer Care Representative II


      Reference#: 11325764

      Customer Answer

      Date: 06/27/2025

       

      Complaint: 23522496



      I am rejecting this response because:



      Sincerely,



      Emperor Elder

      The insurance company

      specifically asked the airline to refund and they would cover in response. However, Alaska airlines refused to even consider the refund.i had no choice legally but to stay in California, effectively losing ability to go on both trips and I informed the airline. Spirit was able to REfund their tickets due to the government exemption of a court order involving the minor on the tickets purchased.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:06/25/2025

      Type:Customer Service Issues
      Status:
      Resolved
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      This case is in reference to confirmation code ANAWZR. This reservation was not used due to the medical diagnosis of my travel partner and subsequent travel restriction issued by her doctor. I am requesting a credit for this reservation due to these extenuating circumstances. There was recently a similar Alaska case involving a passengers medical status which was resolved with their account being credited for future use. I am requesting the same resolution in this case. Thank you.

      Business Response

      Date: 07/02/2025







      July 2, 2025


      Dear Omar,

      Thank you for your email to the Better Business Bureau regarding your refund request.

      I understand that you and your travel partner were unable to travel due a medical diagnosis and travel restrictions issued by her doctor. When booking travel on www.alaskaair.com you will be given the option to select a Saver Fare, Main cabin, Premium or First Class ticket, depending on availability. When you select the Saver Fare a box will pop up advising you of the restrictions for our Saver Fare compared to our Main cabin fares and does show the fare rules as shown below.


      Saver fares cannot choose seats. Seats will be assigned to you at the airport.
      Passengers are allowed one carry-on and one personal item. Overhead bin space is on a first-come, first-served basis. Elite Mileage Plan passengers keep elite boarding status.
      Elite members do not receive preferred seating benefits. Elite members are eligible for same-day upgrade benefits with Saver fares 2 hours prior to departure. On all fares including Saver, elites receive bonus miles, baggage allowances, check-in benefits, and priority boarding. All other Saver fare rules and restrictions apply to MVP members.
      Our 24-hour cancellation policy applies to all fares. When canceled, Saver fares are eligible for a credit of 50% of the ticket value when canceled at least 14 days prior to departure of the first flight on the ticket. Otherwise Saver fares may not be changed or canceled.
      Saver fare guests earn miles at a rate of 30% of Main Cabin fares.



      With that said, as a onetime exception, I have sent a refund request to have your tickets refunded in the form of a Credit Certificate. Your Credit Certificate will be emailed to [email protected] within 7 business days from this correspondence.

      As always, thank you for contacting Alaska and have a wonderful day.


      Sincerely,



      Rhyan
      Customer Care Representative II


      Reference#: 11349467

      Customer Answer

      Date: 07/02/2025

       

      Better Business Bureau:



      I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 23515741, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.



    • Initial Complaint

      Date:06/22/2025

      Type:Product Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      On their booking site, Alaska Airlines says in clearly when you go to purchase tickets "Free Cancelations within 24 hours," However, this is not the case. They wanted to charge me $400 to cancel my tickets approximately 18 hours after I booked.

      Business Response

      Date: 06/24/2025







      June 24, 2025


      Dear Elsa,

      Thank you for your email to the Better Business Bureau regarding our 24-hour cancelation policy.

      I understand how frustrating it must have been to encounter a charge when attempting to cancel your tickets within 24 hours of booking. Our policy does indeed allow for free cancellations within 24 hours. As advised on www.alaskaair.com:



      Our 24-hour cancellation policy
      You can cancel or change* your flights online, just by visiting our manage reservation page.
      When your plans change within the first 24 hours following your ticket purchase, here’s what you need to know:
      If you need to cancel your flights, we will refund** you the cost of your unused tickets.
      If you need to change* your flights, you can do so one time without paying any change fees.
      Important notes:
      The 24-hour cancellation policy only applies to tickets booked for travel starting more than 24 hours from the time of purchase.
      For tickets purchased within 24 hours of departure time, our standard change and cancellation policy applies immediately after ticketing.
      You'll still be responsible for any fare increases and taxes that apply to your new itinerary.
      So, if you were trying to make a change to your reservation a difference in fare would have been applied but we would not have charged you to cancel your reservation. Additionally, I see that it was noted that you spoke to a fraudulent travel agency posing as Alaska so they may have been the ones advising that it would be $400 to cancel your reservation. I was, however, happy to see that our Reservations Department rebooked you onto a new reservation.



      As always, thank you for contacting Alaska and have a wonderful day.


      Sincerely,



      Rhyan
      Customer Care Representative II


      Reference#: 11315805

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:06/20/2025

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      We had a flight scheduled from *** to *** on 6/21/25. We're a family of four with two young boys. We booked all of our seats together, because traveling with young kids requires parental teamwork, and because folks typically enjoy flying with their family. When we booked, we wanted to use a "Companion Ticket," which is a benefit Alaska Airlines often advertises. When you book online with a Companion Ticket, Alaska Airline's system doesn't allow more than two passengers, so to book four travelers, you must book two reservations. We did so, and linked the reservations, so that any system behavior would consider the tickets as one group. Instead, Alaska Airline's system upgraded two of the passengers to 'preferred seating', leaving husband and one son in row 21, and wife and the other son in row 7. We didn't ask for this, and we linked the tickets so something like this wouldn't happen. We called Alaska Airlines support, who informed us that (1) They could not return my wife and son to row 21 because they gave those seats away, and (2) They would not move husband and son up from row 21 to row 7 to fix the mistake. We didn't care what seats we sat in, we just wanted to sit together as we booked it. Additionally, they placed my wife and son in preferred seating row 7, seats A & B. Seats ***** were open, so it would have been in their power to move father and son up from row 21 to row 7. We're seeking a refund for the cost of moving our other two passengers to preferred seating ($97.98). We feel that Alaska Airlines is at fault for this situation.

      Business Response

      Date: 06/21/2025







      June 21, 2025


      Dear Daniel,

      Thank you for your email to the Better Business Bureau regarding your experience on 6/21/2025.

      I understand that your wife and other child were upgraded to our Premium Class even though your reservations were linked as one of your tickets was purchased using a Companion Fare. As advised when Melissa called into our Reservation Department, she would need to opt out of getting upgrades when booking her travel to prevent an upgrade from occurring. She was also advised that linking reservations together does not affect automated seat assignments, upgrades, special request etc. I am very sorry that this was not known prior to your flight. 

      You also mentioned that our Reservations Agent would not move your wife and son back to their original seats because they were given to someone else and they would not upgrade you into the Premium Class seats next to her. Unfortunately, our Reservations Agent was correct when advising you of this as we would not change another passenger's seats in a situation such as this and we would not offer a free upgrade as the seat change was not an error. Additionally, because our system was working as designed, the opt out option was not selected and because you were still able to pick your seats at the time of booking, a refund of $97.98 cannot be offered. I am very sorry for any disappointment this may cause and I sincerely appreciate your understanding in this matter.


      As always, thank you for contacting Alaska and have a wonderful day.

      Sincerely,



      Rhyan
      Customer Care Representative II


      Reference#: 11304042

      Customer Answer

      Date: 06/28/2025

       

      Complaint: 23499355



      I am rejecting this response because:

      Alaska Airlines claims we are at fault because we needed to opt-out of a checkbox when booking. This checkbox doesnt clearly indicate the ramifications of not checking it. Further, Alaska should be at fault for not upgrading the entire party. Upgrade the passengers or dont, but don't split the action between party members.




      Sincerely,



      Daniel Mertes

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:06/19/2025

      Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      I want to share our disappointment with a recent mileage ticket on your airline. We Transferred some miles from my account on American ********************** and sent them to Hawaiian Airlines, and than transfer the miles to Alaska. Our route was in the ******** and as per the chart on Alaska Airlines website. *******************************************************************************?. On this chart my particular route cost ***** miles in business class as the distance is roughly only 3300 miles. I will be attaching the chart as this can be easily verified. However, due to circumstances beyond our control, we were compelled to re-book these tickets into 2 separate awards ( and pay extra taxes even though it was a single award/Journey " SAME REGION"). Unfortunately, this process required us to spend significantly more miles ***** than originally redeemed ***** and 207 $ in taxes, despite the fact that we followed the chart terms and conditions. This unexpected expense caused us considerable inconvenience and frustration.We kindly request a review of our case and the reinstatement of the additional miles ***** miles we had to spend for the flights from *** (********) to *** (****) plus another ***** for the amount of extra taxes so we are requesting a total 30k miles. Both of this legs could have been easily linked to my original flight as there are no stopovers. We spoke with several agents that basically told us they could see the availability of the first 2 legs in economy but will have to charge us ***** per ticket. Or i had to buy two awards for 7500 each and pay taxes again. During this ordeal my account was flagged for fraud and we had to spend 9 hrs over the phone sorting this out. I don't live in the *** but have a registered address and a company there. i felt discriminated by the fraud team as they only wanted a driver license to verify my account. I had to beg them to please unlock my account. i sent my bank statement and a lady felt bad and unlocked the account

      Business Response

      Date: 06/20/2025







      June 20, 2025


      Dear Liliane,

      Thank you for your email to the Better Business Bureau regarding your reservations.

      I understand that you transferred miles from your American Express account to Hawaiian Airlines and then to Alaska Airlines, expecting to redeem them for a business class ticket on a route within the Americas. According to the award chart on our website, this route should have cost 35,000 miles. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, you had to re-book the tickets into two separate awards, resulting in an additional money and miles spent.

      Per our award chart you sent in, the mileage listed says "starting at", so the number of miles can be greater than what is shown on the chart and is subject to change. Additionally, you were booking award travel on one of our partners, and they were not allowing the purchase of the segments/routing you wanted using miles, so that is why you had to purchase two separate itineraries. Regrettably, we do not have a work around for that as our Reservations Agent can only book travel that is available in our system and what our partner allows. I see in your reservations that you were advised of this several times by our Reservations Agents, Lead and Supervisor. Additionally, award travel when getting rebooked just like a ticket purchased with money will need to be repriced at that day's current amounts. So, this could mean that you will have to pay more money or miles. 

      That being said, a refund for any money or miles cannot be offered. I am very sorry for any disappointment this may cause and I sincerely appreciate your understanding in this matter.

      Regarding the issue with your account being flagged for fraud, I am sorry to hear about the difficulties you faced. I understand how distressing it must have been to spend nine hours on the phone resolving this matter. Our fraud prevention measures are in place to protect our customers, but I regret any inconvenience or negative feelings you experienced during this process.

      When a Mileage Plan is flagged as fraud, we do need to verify your identity to ensure your account is secure and that we are speaking with the owner of the account. This is why we ask for a driver licenses as it also shows your address. I was happy to see that our Customer Care Represent vie worked with you and you were allowed to send in a copy of your passport.

      As always, thank you for contacting Alaska and have a wonderful day.



      Sincerely,



      Rhyan
      Customer Care Representative II


      Reference#: 11294893

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