Recently I visited the Bay Area for a family wedding and it was my first time flying since the start of the pandemic in March and I have to say, that it was a satisfying trip inbound and out. In this post however I’ll be focusing on the return trip back to Seattle with Alaska Airlines.
SFO Airport
So how was SFO Airport? I have to say that SFO Airport might be my favorite airport in the United States. Getting to the terminal from the rental car return was straightforward. We would take a tram from the rental car facility to the terminal and the views of the airport from there were spectacular. I was able to catch a few widebodies including an Air India 777 and an ANA 777 in their Star Wars livery. After that we checked in and went through security and even the TSA officials at the airport were very nice. The big highlight however for me was the terminal. You could purchase a water canteen from any of the vendors and you can refill it anywhere thus reducing waste. It’s a great way for the airport to lessen their carbon footprint and I wish more airports would follow this model.
After going through security, I bought a Cuban sandwich from Napa Farms Market and just watched the endless parade of planes taking off and landing. It was great to see SFO busy during COVID times. Not to mention that United has a great variety of widebodies that made it fun to planespot seeing many different variants of the 777, 767 and 787 Dreamliners United has to offer. Sadly though it wouldn’t last because we had to get on a flight back to Seattle.
Onboard
Even though there was a slight hiccup with boarding initially, we were able to depart SFO on time due to the runway literally being right next door to our terminal. The aircraft was a former Virgin America Airbus A320 N636VA and I must say, it’s a really nice bird. For some reason, I find the Airbus to be a lot more quiet than Boeing’s 737s. Not to mention that the ride on the A320 was smooth as silk.
The seat itself was very practical. Despite not having in flight entertainment, the seat had a USB port and an AC adapter all within arms reach. In addition, it had a little retractable hinge where you can hold your IPad if you want to stream a movie on the Alaska App. The design of the tray table was also practical. It had two cupholders so when I ordered a coffee, I was able to put my coffee cup in one cupholder and the other cup with the pouch for the cream and sugar in the other and I was able to push the table back and forth in case I needed to go to the bathroom. Moreover, the legroom on this plane was remarkable for economy class. The seat in front of me was far enough from my knees so I was able to stretch my legs if I needed to. A well-designed seat for the short hop to Seattle.
And the crew on Alaska were great. They were friendly and attentive whenever they needed to serve drinks or throw away waste while having tremendous enthusiasm for their job. In times like these when flying has become contentious, its good to see that Alaska isn’t taking their customers for granted and making sure we are taken care of on the flight. But if there is one thing I have to nitpick on, it’s the seat pouch is a little worse for wear with one of the parts sticking out. Thankfully the pouch held up for the trip and I was able to hold my water canteen there. So despite that nitpick, I loved the seat and the service Alaska provided on the 1 hr 30 min hop to Seattle.
N Terminal at Seattle Tacoma International Airport
After arriving into SeaTac about 45 minutes early, we arrived into the new Alaska terminal and let me say that seeing pictures of it online doesn’t do it justice. They have done an amazing job renovating the terminal to make it more open and grander than it was before. It felt like I was in an large railroad station like Grand Central and it really brought back the romance of what it means to travel by air and I’m lucky to be able to have this terminal literally in my own backyard!
Final Verdict
I really enjoyed my trip on Alaska Airlines from San Francisco to Seattle and it feels so good to go back into the air again after everything that happened in the past 20 months with the pandemic. So for my ratings, I’m going to copy Jeb Brooks with his “Jebscore” but this time use a “Jamscore” to rate this flight between the terminal, seat, and crew:
Terminal: One of the best if not the best airport terminals in North America. Between the food choices and the wonderful views of the airport, it’s a mecca for planespotters. (5/5)
·Seat: Outside of the minor nitpick with the seat pouch, the seat was very practical with the chargers and the tray table. (4.5/5)
·Food/Drink: Alaska offers you to buy a snack box before you fly but I didn’t order any however they did have a good selection of non-alcoholic beverages that made sense for a short flight like this. (5/5)
·Crew: The crew on this flight were impeccable. Attentive and enthusiastic, they were a pleasure to interact with if I needed anything. Alaska prides themselves with customer service and they did not disappoint. (5/5)
That makes my overall score for Alaska’s service between San Francisco and Seattle a solid 19.5 out of 20. So what do you guys think of flying economy on Alaska Airlines? Be sure to let me know in the comments below and keep looking to the sky!
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