Alaska Airlines' novel approach to SFO flight delays Free shuttle bus transfers between Bay Area airports

You next Alaska Airlines flight to SFO might land in Oakland or San Jose instead. What do do? You next Alaska Airlines flight to SFO might land in Oakland or San Jose instead. What do do? Image 1 of / 18 Caption Close Alaska Airlines' novel approach to SFO flight delays 1 / 18 Back to Gallery

Fresh off its completed merger with Virgin America, Alaska Airlines is utilizing a new strategy to steer clear of weather issues at San Francisco International Airport by rerouting some flights to Oakland International and Mineta San Jose airports-- and then bussing passengers back to SFO.

This is possible because Alaska operates robust schedules at both OAK and SJC, which rarely experience delays caused by weather. It also helps that the airline has all the necessary employees and equipment at all three airports to accommodate re-routed flights.

Whether it is fog (or "low ceilings" as it's called in aviation speak) or gusty winds, bad weather and flight delays can be synonymous at SFO, especially during summer summer season when Air Traffic Controllers often reduce (sometimes by half) the number of flights that can safely arrive and depart.

"Air Traffic Control delays at SFO are frequent and out of our control," explained Oriana Branon. Alaska's Director of Community and Public Relations in the Bay Area. "In these circumstances, we may choose to re-route flights to/from Oakland and San Jose in order to get our guests to their destination as close to their original arrival time as possible."

Branon said the tactic has an added benefit of preventing delays for Alaska passengers flying later in the day.

"Air Traffic Control delays restrict the number of flights that can land in a given hour, so delays snowball," she said. "Re-routing drastically cuts down on the total number of our guests impacted by delays or cancellations."

So what happens if your flight to SFO is diverted to another airport? Passengers on flights diverted to OAK or SJC can hop on a free shuttle bus to SFO, Branon explained.

For passengers whose flights have been re-routed to depart from OAK or SJC instead of SFO, the airline gives them at least three hours of advance notice and a free shuttle bus ride to either OAK or SJC.

This happens often enough that Alaska has a page on its website with instructions on what passengers should do. An important note on that page states that Alaska will not cover the cost of a ridesharing, taxi or public transport to the alternate airport.

Photo: Bay Area Connection The San Francisco Bay Area's three major airports

The strategy has its fans and its critics.

"I would much rather get into the Bay Area on-time at another airport than risk a delay that could increase in duration," said William Tsai, an Alaska Airlines frequent flier. "While it is nice to hang out in the lounge, at the end of the day, I would just like to get home to my family as reasonably on-time as possible."

Tsai said a diversion to Oakland would not take him too out of the way since he lives in El Cerrito. Others say the diversions are a hassle.

"One of the benefits of traveling light and frequently is the ability to show up at the airport 30 minutes before your flight, breeze through Clear/TSA Precheck, and walk onto the plane just as the door closes," said Vincent Forni, an Alaska Airlines frequent flier. "If I ever get into a pinch and I need to change my originating airport, Alaska will tell me to pay a pretty substantial fare difference for that privilege, so in that case I feel it's quite unfair."

Forni said he flew Alaska between San Francisco and Seattle weekly, but recently began flying United Airlines because of the diversions, which adds travel time from his home in South San Francisco.

What about passengers who are connecting onto other flights at SFO? Branon said Alaska pays special attention to their itineraries.

"We do everything we can to get guests to their final destination, including changing flights or putting guests directly in a taxi so they can get to the next airport faster than the shuttle," she said. "Diverting in and of itself is a tactic to help guests make these flights – remember, the alternative would be to cancel or significantly delay the flight."

Branon said the airline may ask gate agents to hold some flights if a customer is minutes away from making a connection, although this is done on a case-by-case basis.

Other airlines are known to divert flights to Oakland and San Jose in times of bad weather in San Francisco — but many lack the resources at OAK and SJC to regularly handle re-routed flights. For example, United has a relatively small presence at San Jose, and does not fly to Oakland at all.

A spokesperson at Southwest Airlines tells TravelSkills it does not regularly use this strategy to get around delays at SFO, despite the carrier's extensive flight schedules at Oakland and San Jose.

Frequent fliers are closely watching this novel approach to handling delays as Alaska Air undergoes its first busy summer travel season as the second largest airline at SFO following its recently completed merger with Virgin America.

The carrier is aggressively fighting for greater marketshare in the San Francisco Bay Area, advertising itself as the "most west coast" airline and one with an abundance of flight options at all four regional airports — including Santa Rosa.

"It's something different, and I appreciate Alaska giving it a try," Tsai said. "I hope that Alaska is keeping track of the customer feedback based on this."

What do you think of Alaska Airline's novel approach to handling delays and diversions at SFO? Would you rather take the shuttle, or endure the delay? Please leave your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.

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Chris McGinnis is the founder of TravelSkills.com. The author is solely responsible for the content above, and it is used here by permission. You can reach Chris at chris@travelskills.com or on Twitter @cjmcginnis.