I am flying to Alaska soon, and had originally booked my flight on Alaska Air. I have been bumped/rescheduled to a departure time that does not work well for me. I was offered a better time going on Delta and the connecting to Alaska Air in Seatle.

Does anyone have opinion either good or bad regarding Delta? Particularly as related to checking a firearm?

Thank you.

Delta and me do not mix much prefer AK Airlines but you have to make your schedule.

Alaska over Delta anytime. Terry

if you're checking a firearm and switching carriers, you may have to go through the whole TSA song and dance at Seattle again.

TSA changes their mind more often than a woman, so I'd check into it.


it's a crying shame that AK air is still heads and shoulders above most domestic carriers.


for at one time they were a top notch airline and a pleasure to do biz with.


it's more of a condemnation of other carriers than a testament to AK air's service.

I'd be a happy camper if all I ever had to fly were bush planes.

good luck, hope you have a great time here!

Can't comment on the issues with firearms but my daughter has flown Alaska, Delta and United when going back and forth to school. All of them seem about on par with each other.

I used to be a big fan of Alaska Air, as 2l2q puts it, best of the rest isn't exactly best.

Delta just started flying into ktown. I think I'll let their pilots get some more experience flying into there before I book with them. A few questions too are out there whether they have the sophisticated mapping software that AK Air has for SE AK.

Fahq Delta. I wouldn't fly with those scumbags on a bet. They decided to get all PC and refuse to transport legally obtained big game trophies after the Cecil flap.

All their planes can drop out of the sky for all I care. Fahq them.

Thats what I was thinking, they won't fly my game, I wont' fly the bastards ever then either.

AK Air has done fine for my wife and I since 1995....

Flying out 9-9-15 on Delta via Seattle to ANC. AK Air was much more expensive.
I'll report back later.

I've flown with Delta to AK twice, no issues at all. Delta took all firearms to a separate area until claimed.

If you fly from Anch. AK Airlines uses for instance to SD Sioux Falls. Your last flight is with Delta your free baggage does apply on your return flight. They call it where you originate, and don,t be late for a Delta flight $440. If it had been AK Airlines little charge.

Little tidbit I learned for $440 is, if you are ever late and your airline has not departed you still own the ticket, you can reschedule that one way for a later date.

Once your plane that you were to late to board, leaves runway you lose that right. For some reason the airlines wont tell you that.

rost, pm coming your way soon with a few questions for you about AK Air CC if you don't mind.

As I type I'm sitting in the airport after my Delta flight was 1.5 hours late, killing my connection as well. 5 hours late to Portland maine, where I'm meeting my gal, who flew another airline. Probably not a good time for an objective opinion.

OTOH, my alaska airlines card is on the way,as is their Elite club mwmbership. That should save me $500 this year at lest.

When we fly we generally use Delta because they fly where we need to go without charging an exorbitant price and we've got an Alaska Airlnes card. We fly Alaska Airlines when we fly to Maui or someplace they fly directly too.

Of all the airlines out there they are one of the higher priced so that's why we go with Delta most of the time. With that being said, our last flights in June/July were probably the worst I've experienced in a long time, delayed flights and missed connections make for a very long day when flying from Alaska to the east coast.

My kids live in FL and we go to deer camp in Michigan so I have done both Alaska and Delta. Service and attitudes were always light years better flying with Delta, as were prices. My last two flights on Alaska the flight attendants never cracked a smile nor did they exhibit any "people skills". When Expedia totally messed up my daughter's flights to come up here we finally called Delta and they stepped in, made all connections work, were amazingly courteous as it wasn't their fault, and all with no charge. Delta without hesitation.

Interesting, we've had conversations with flight attendants on almost every flight. No bad issues.

Delta flight once years ago was NOT good.

Goes to show each flight could be different from carriers.

But I'll back the airline that doens't hate hunters regardless.

Not a question at all. Delta wanted several approaches that AK air initialized but were rightly denied.

I flew AK Air last year and the year before from CT to Alaska and have nothing but good things to say. I brought firearms on both trips and checking in with them and then retrieving them went off without any problems.

While flights and attendants may vary individually, Alaska has received JDPower award for highest customer satisfaction in its class for the last 8 or 9 years. That should tell you something. I will stipulate that I think Delta is in a larger airline class but I bet they can't match that record.

You don't 'spose that JDPower awarding agency works anything like the Nobel Prize or MSNBC endorsement stuff, do you? I'm just curious 'cause I seriously doubt that anyone at AK AK Air actually remembers what Gold Coast service was, much less has a clue how to implement it. AK AK Air might win awards, but they're kind of the equivalent of our elected public "servants". They don't have to be good, they only need to meet the "leastworst" criteria.

*(Leastworst is no relation to liverwurst, and neither should liverwurst's fans take insult by the similarity in name, nor should any brand of fine meat scrap take it as disparagement. )

leastworst, a new word. Very nice.

No clue what the Gold coast was, but again I"ve not had any complaints.

Unfortunately normally about the time I profess about Barnes always expanding or such, it bites me....

Hopefully Carolyn and I survive the Sept 8 flight. LOL.

Northwest was awesome to fly to Alaska but delta sucks .They lose my hunting dogs the the black porters want bribes to find them .Their customer service sucks !

Alaska Air is my first least disliked airline followed by Delta. Having said that, I don't actually like any of them.

If flying in Alaska was cheap, profitable and easy there'd be a lot more airlines doing it.

As you probably recall, Alaska Airlines did everything they could to drive out their competition. The guys with the deepest pockets usually win though. Of course the Feds did what they could to eliminate jet service to smaller hubs too.






http://www.alaskapublic.org/2015/08/13/bering-air-buys-eight-new-planes-to-replace-older-caravans/

Hmmmm? Do you suppose it's all just a front for an even larger profit-making 'business' of some sort?

I use both depending on destination. Every other year we fly back to MN to visit family & go hunt birds for 3-4 days in SD.
All though Delta has the worst pet record & charges just as much for the dog round trip as me I have to take them because they are the only game in town with a non-stop to MSP. I refuse to make the dog sit any longer with transfers in SEA it only adds to possibility of delays & things going wrong. Knock on wood I haven't had any issues with our guns going eitherway yet to date. The only positive thing about Delta is the inflight TV entertainment is free & on the way back for a brief while you can watch football or sports center, helps break up the long duration of the flight.

Just booked Delta to SD for birds only way to make the times to meet with other hunters. Delta is offering 2 free bags like AK Airlines and 10% off next flight to Alaskans. So they are trying to compete. And price was right.

I have taken Northwest/Delta to Alaska since my first trip in 2001. Just happened to be in the bush on 9-11 without any contact with the outside world. We came back to Michigan on 9-19 on schedule, although a tense flight and 4 hours early for our flight out of Anchorage.

Went back to Anchorage with Delta on August 12, 2015 and from Michigan went to Atlanta, Georgia. Kind of strange to backtrack but then a straight flight to Anchorage. Usually from here we stop in Minneapolis, MN. I usually use frequent flyer miles and this was the cheapest flight at 25000 miles for the round trip, so I didn't complain about the route.

I was bowhunting caribou on the haul rd and took a handgun for bear protection and checking the gun was no problem as I carried it my checked bow hard case.

I am not happy with Delta and their trophy policy from Africa but hope they change.

What's the word on Delta flying horns and capes back? Have heard they won't. True? If so options?


Roy

I'd as soon drive as to fly Delta.

While I am not a fan of Delta, I just flew them on my Wyo trip as the fare and schedule was better than United. Traveled with 2 checked handguns and had absolutely no problems.

They all come in on instrument flights and KT is long enough.

If by "porters", you mean skycaps, they are often not employed by the airline. Most are paid the absolute minimum (like waitresses) and earn the great majority of their income from tips.
As far as delayed flights go, whether from weather or mechanical issues, my brother the pilot's response is "The only thing worse than being on the ground and wishing that you were at 35,000 feet is being at 35,000 feet and wishing that you were on the ground".

delayed flights are no issue. As you note, I'd rather be late and alive... than on time and dead..

used to get a bit stressed, now I could care less. If we loose a day or two I just call the boss and say, I'll be back later than I thought due to weather.

Yeah, but you're not going to be able to add the miles to your AK Airlines mileage plan, if that's important to you.

Just booked Delta to SD for birds only way to make the times to meet with other hunters.

Like mileage but have a schedule to meet!

I know a flight attendant for Delta that would make you forget about the mileage and your schedule!

Delta just couldn't make Juneau work. Lol. Without the second approach Delta had a miserable success rate and couldn't stand the thought of another winter. Bye