Well, Emirates First Class on the A380 is booked as an award with Alaska miles, thanks to Hang Up Call Again (HUCA) and luck. As I wrote in Emirates Devaluation: Retroactive No Chauffeur for Partners, No First Class Awards via Alaska, there's virtually no Emirates first class award space displayed any longer on the Alaska Airlines Web site, and it's been that way for weeks.
Previously, space usually displayed online or was easily bookable by calling Alaska if you could see at least 2 first class awards seats (“Z” fare class in Expert Flyer). That would typically result in 1 Emirates first class award seat bookable by Alaska (with 1 held back for Emirates Skywards frequent flyer members).
More recently, as I mentioned in my prior post, Alaska has instructed its Partner Desk agents to only book what is visible in the system, and not to do any kind of manual requests or long selling of Emirates award space. That's why I advised readers *not* to assume they could just call Alaska and book an Emirates First Class award, even if there were 2 Z fare class awards showing on ExpertFlyer. It's very much chance and luck if you happen to get an agent willing to manually request the award space, since they're not supposed to do that.
Last night I tried anyway to change a current award my husband is flying in Emirates Business Class to First Class, going to SFO, so that he could visit his best friend from law school whom he rarely gets to see. I was hoping to get him in First Class, since some of Emirates business class seats are as short as 70 inches or so in length, which is pretty uncomfortable if you're 6'5.
That said, I knew it was a long shot, and was only going to try just 2-3 calls to see if it could be done, before giving up and keeping my husband's current award. I simply don't have the time to make 17-20 calls, which is what a couple of readers who have emailed me to say they've managed to get an Emirates first class award seat noted it's taken them.
Call #1: No Dice
[Dialed the Alaska Airlines Reservations number, skipped entering any MileagePlan details, somehow put through right away to the Partner Desk]
Me: Hello, I have an existing reservation for my husband and was trying to make a change–could you help with this?
Partner Desk Agent: Sure, what is the record locator?
Me: [Record locator number]. It's currently in Emirates Business Class on the Dubai to NYC segment, and I was hoping to switch to Dubai to SFO, since I see there's Z class award space for first class.
Partner Desk Agent: Let me check…no, only business class available. There's no first class space in the system.
Me: Would it be possible to request Z class space manually?
Partner Desk Agent: No, we can only book what's visible in the system.
Me: Ok, thanks so much for your time.
Call #2: Success!
[Dialed the Alaska Airlines Reservations number, skipped entering any MileagePlan details, put through to Seattle call center]
Me: Hello, I have an existing reservation for my husband and was trying to make a change–could you help with this?
Seattle Agent: Sure, what is the record locator?
Me: [Record locator number]. It's currently in Emirates Business Class on the Dubai to NYC segment, and I was hoping to switch to Dubai to SFO in first class.
Seattle Agent: Oh, you'll need the Partner Desk for that. Let me transfer you, please hold.
Me: Thanks.
[Call transferred to Alaska Partner Desk]
Partner Desk Agent: Hello, I understand you'd like to switch the Dubai flight to one to SFO in first class, let me check if there's space…hmm, I can see space, but it's tricky with Emirates because you have to redeposit the award and I may not be able to keep your Male to Dubai award, let me see… [pause while agent tries to find a way to keep the first flight segment]
I can't get it to include the Male to Dubai segment, sorry.
Me: How about just the Dubai to San Francisco award in first class, would you be able to confirm that?
Partner Desk Agent: Yes, that should be possible–but what about Male to Dubai?
Me: Well, since that was only available as an economy award anyway, I'll just buy a paid ticket.
Partner Desk Agent: Ok, let me check…[typing]…yes, that will be 90,000 miles. Just in case there's a change in taxes, could I get your credit card details?
Me: Yes, the credit card is an Alaska Visa [details].
Partner Desk Agent: Thanks. The record locators for both Emirates and Alaska remain the same, so in a few minutes you'll be able to login and see it confirmed.
Me: Perfect, thanks so much for your help today, I really appreciate it.
Sure enough, a few minutes later I was able to go to Emirates' Manage Existing Booking, input the record locator, and see his flight confirmed in Emirates First Class, as well as select seat 3K for him:
Now, I still consider this more luck than anything, and recommend that if you're going to call Alaska's Partner Desk to try this, you be very polite with the agent and gracefully end the call if the agent says there's no space. Nothing good ever comes of being obnoxious or pushy with the Partner Desk or other call center agents. It should be easy to tell fairly soon into your call if the agent you're working with is willing to request space for you or not.
But at least, as of last night anyway, it is possible given the right agent to still book Emirates First Class.
Have you recently booked or flown Emirates First Class using Alaska Miles?
Related Posts
Emirates Devaluation: Retroactive No Chauffeur for Partners, No First Class Awards via Alaska
Emirates First Class A380 Review
Alaska Airlines: New Emirates Award Chart and FAQ
Emirates: New AMEX Membership Rewards Transfer Partner Worth It?
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