r/AlaskaAirlines

TLDR: The newer seat backs on AS planes have an unnatural curve that create back pain on flights - how do you cope/ what do you being with you to adjust for this so you aren’t miserable during and for days after a flight?

For quick readers or bored Redditors: I haven’t flown AS much this year and on the few flights I did take, all were in first class.

This past week I had to fly a decent distance (1500 mi) on very short notice, on nearly full flights, with a turnaround of about 24 hrs. I was upgraded to a middle premium seat outbound but stuck back in main in a middle seat for the return - the only other empty seat was another middle seat even further back.

The lack of even a few inches of extra space was noticeable, but whatever. For 3.5 hrs I can generally tolerate just about anything.

But about an hour into the first flight I realized my back was hurting and I just could NOT get comfortable. It wasn’t just the lack of padding - I can shift weight and deal with that. It is the weird curve of the back of the seats that is opposite the natural curve of the human spine that is the issue.

How the hell did anyone think this was the best design for humans stuck sitting for hours? I tried balling up my jacket to create some lumbar support but it is the whole seat that is the issue so it only helped a little, and the tip of the seat where it starts to curve forward still created the most unnatural angle for my upper body.

I’ve never had back pain before but my empathy jumped for those that do - it was miserable. I had to fly back the next day with my back still sore and even prepared for the seat, I wasn’t able to find a way to make that unnatural curvature of the back of the seat tolerable.

Now I am looking at travel hoodies with inflatable back and neck support, inflatable lumbar pillows, etc because a life change in the family means more short notice trips like that are very likely in my near future, and AS has way more options for those flights than any other airline.

I’m submitting to Alaska (Doesn’t) Listens but it isn’t reasonable to think they will just replace these new seats when people complain since they spent so much money to refurb recently.

How does everyone flying in the back manage this?

(I am a smaller person - 5’6” with a very small frame and normally good posture with a healthy spine & core.)

I just achieved Silver status and was wondering how long does that last till it reverts back to zero? I achieved it this month (October) and does it expire on December 31, 2026 or December 31, 2027? I have flights to/from London next week and was wondering if I should should try for gold status before the end of the year? Thanks 🙏

I have been an AA milage member for years... dating back to 1990 when I started frequently flying for business on my companies nickel. My spouse and I are retired now, and we have been maintaining Executive Platinum status for 5+ years.

I know that Alaska has ended their status match for AA 18 odd months ago, but we have found that Alaska treats us much better as AA/OneWorld elite members than AA does anymore.

So is it better to stay with AA? Or should we pick a date to get an Atmos credit card (we currently hold the AA Executive Platinum card) and start flying almost exclusively Alaska? We already get complimentary Alaska upgrades maybe 33-50% of the time with our AA status, but with companion fares etc, Atmos is looking pretty tempting.

I suspect that it would take most of a year to restore the equivalent status level, and we still have something like 300K award miles banked with AA... Has anyone done this recently? Particularly after the status match ended? Timing hints?

I have to be honest, I think the reason why SEA to JFK lieflats have struggled is due to the fact that no airline has properly invested in it like Alaska is trying to now.

Alaska is a very scrappy airline, they wouldn't be investing in something like this, if they didn't see the market opportunity and numbers to back it up. Alaska has a real opportunity to close the gap against Delta's revenue premium on this route.

The reality was back in the day:

• JetBlue: ran only 1x to 2x daily SEA to JFK with terrible schedule and perpetual delays. The delays were exacerbated by SEA being a small station and JetBlue not having their act together back then with ontime performance. Fwiw JetBlue ran Mint to Seattle from 2018 to 2025, which is a long time, and also compounded by a disastrous pandemic period + JetBlue's failing financials. And Mint was always full back in the day when I was flying this route.
• Delta: only ran it on some of the daily frequencies with an aging 757 2-2 product. You couldn't reliably predict if an aircraft swap would occur and you'd lose out your Delta One seat for a domestic First seat, business travelers need consistency. I know that I was booking Mint over Delta simply because the product was better, Delta's attempt at running it wasn't compelling at all.

There's always the same roundabout discussion about "Seattle to NYC" doesn't support lieflats, when I'm of more of the belief that it doesn't support a mediocre product. If you compare it to SF and LA to NYC, the product offering is far better and consistent on the other airlines with competitive frequencies.

SEA is a top 10 destination from JFK and Seattle is the 2nd wealthiest large metro area per capita behind SF, there's no fundamental reason something like this cannot work.

Title sums it up. What you all feeling??

It’s always been my feeling that if I’m in the window seat the window shade is in my control. Do you agree or disagree and why? I had a gal a seat behind me reach up and close my window shade without asking or saying a word to me. People have a lot of nerve…

Curious if other people have noticed their baggage not being delivered within the allotted 20 minutes on Hawaiian flights? My understanding was that the Alaska guarantee covered those flights as well now they they have merged.

Took about 35 minutes last night (from arrival at gate) at SMF to get our bags..but unfortunately baggage claim offices were closed at 9pm to make a claim. Didn't time it at arrival in OGG the week before, but it was delayed their too and at both locations the Alaska app and arrival boards had the baggage claim location info incorrect.