5 Things We Have to Say “No” to in the Airline Biz. (And Some Things YOU CAN Do Yourself!)
You know, this is hard because of course we want to be helpful. But I thought maybe it would be best to answer these all in one place, at one time so that people know it’s not personal.
1) Can you help me find my iPad/coat/kids’ stuffed animal/man purse or whatever it is that I left on the plane?
We personally can’t do anything about it, and I’m sorry about that. However, here’s a great place to start: https://live.nettracer.aero/alaska-paxview/lostandfound/landing.do
2) Can Andrew please donate some flights to my charity/auction,etc?
Even for our own school auction, we go through this process too, so you can apply for donation requests at: alaskaair.com/content/about-us/social-responsibiity/corporate-giving
As you can imagine, it’s a conflict of interest and so everything goes through this process. OR if you’re inclined to do so, you can donate personal miles and convert them into flights which you can donate.
3) Can Andrew get me a job/internship or my kid a job/internship?
Again, sorry but no- these are all things that can and should be applied for online. The easiest way for me to describe this is to imagine if I asked you to co-sign on a house but you know nothing about the deal at all. It’s just too hard to recommend someone you’ve never worked with before- you cannot vouch for anything about the person. Obviously I know no one thinks about it that way when they are asking, and they don’t necessarily intend to come across this way but if you think about it, most of these things are kind of unrealistic asks, and all it really does is make us look unhelpful because now you’ve put us in a position where we have to tell you “no.”
4) Can Andrew go to lunch with me and hear about my business/see if I’m a good fit for the company?
So again I sound like a jerk saying no, but here’s the deal. The reality is the guy basically doesn’t even take a lunch break, unless it’s a working lunch out. Some of you know and understand this but when these executives reach a certain level, it’s not that they are inhuman, it’s that they are basically property of their company. It’s been years since even I could schedule lunch with him. Their free time isn’t really free time- they are expected to answer texts and emails from their direct reports and the other top tier exec’s at all times of the day- there are some really intense stories I could share with you, but the thing is this position in a company comes at a price, as does this life we have. So it’s not surprising, but it does require being extremely selective and skilled with one’s time management.
Although there was a time that I could schedule lunch with my own husband (as mentioned above), I would much rather let him do as much work as he can during work hours, so that I can get more time with him at night when he’s at home. Secondly, his day is about 95% meetings with people. So I do feel a bit protective of his time he has where he can just get 15 minutes to cram down a sandwich while checking email in peace. I mean it’s a lot- it’s a big job, we’re extremely grateful for it, but it also comes with the responsibility to effectively balance everything and provide enough breathing room to “stay sane.” And the thing is, if you don’t protect that time, it won’t be there because there will always be people putting demands on it, and so it can be filled up in 2 seconds if you don’t put those barriers around it.
5) Can you guys provide me with a “buddy pass” or a bereavement fare?
Alaska Airlines is one of the “Last Airline Standing” on bereavement fares. There are terms and conditions, for obvious reasons, as most airlines don’t offer any kind of assistance to grieving fliers. Also, please note that you can always use miles, or check other airports- sometimes it’s cheaper to leave from a smaller airport or fly into a smaller airport, if your destination allows.
https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/bereavement-fare
“Buddy Passes” AKA “Guest Passes”: Well, this is a little different at the executive level, and I won’t go into the details, but just to help you understand a little bit better, here’s the bottom line: If I give you a guest pass, you have to fly standby. That may not sound like a big deal, but flights are so full these days, that it becomes very difficult and you could be camped out at the airport for hours- just ask my mom, it’s happened to her. Let’s just say she’s very familiar with the Portland airport. Plus, we pay the taxes on any guest passes used.
We’ve had to make a policy in our household we just use them for my immediate family members (who must travel with us, by the way) OR my nannies who are coming with us on a trip. Again I’ll reiterate unless the person physically flies with us, they have to go standby. So if you want to fly WITH all TEN of us and provide some childcare on the way—let me know, and it’s probably going to be to some exotic destination like my hometown airport of San Jose. Not too exciting! But anyway, I think you’re catching my drift.
Hopefully this helps clear up some of the mysteries and misconceptions behind why we can’t just hook people up with stuff all the time… it’s like asking for goods and services for free, or to sign off on a person he knows nothing about, or to give time he doesn’t have to give. If you just ask yourself how you would feel if the tables were turned, one might be less inclined to ask. Often this is just a lack of awareness, and I know people’s intentions are usually good!!!! But I hope this is helpful in some way…. Wheels Up!