Alaska Air Reviews

Pros

Great people, really fun to work with. Awesome benefits, really fun and motivating company.

Cons

Not the most efficient corporate environment, technology on the customer end is fantastic, but terrible for employees. (We don't have MS Outlook and rely on an antiquated email system)

Pros

Personal time off, flexible schedule, occasional telecommuting

Cons

IT systems are old and in constant need of repair. Very limited investment in improving behind-the-scenes operations. As far as project management goes, the budgets are undefined because labor isn't planned or tracked well. Schedules are never met because resources are spread too thin and personnel don't feel compelled to meet a schedule. Scopes are constantly in flux.

Advice to Senior Management

Focus! Implement and enforce use of a labor planning/time keeping tool that is easy to use. Make people accountable.

Pros

For technical people, you will have an opportunity to work on complex technical environment and multiple third party companies that makes the job very interesting. Always plenty to do.

Cons

Project priorities weren't defined, and very lean IT environment based on work and what you had to support.

Advice to Senior Management

Clearly define priorities to execute on what will make the greatest impact to Alaska Air

Pros

Decent benefits, including flights (when not full)

Cons

Middle management is squeezed to perform more and more with less while upper management enjoys secretive "perks" and front line (union) are paid well through contracted wages and benefits.

Advice to Senior Management

Work toward increased transparency, honesty, and internal succession planning. Train, mentor, and promote from the inside to gain trust and loyalty. Performance Based Pay (formerly profit sharing) should be the same percentage of wages or salary company-wide and not higher for upper management.

Pros

Free travel, great job while I was in school, down to earth employees, often times it was fun to work.

Cons

The positions I was in was unionized so the higher seniority people could sometimes be lazy and you had to make up for the slack. All while they get paid a lot more than you for doing the same job.

Advice to Senior Management

No personal feel to any management feedback or job reviews.

Pros

- The individuals are nice enough to work with.
- They are flexible with their hours and personal time off.

Cons

- If felt like, I imagine, working in a cave. The building was run down and had all sorts of issues. Even the light fixtures and sinks wouldn't work properly.
- Management would give little respect to those working under them.
- Many people were not qualified to work in their positions.
- No "perks" and terrible benefits.
- Little to no recognition given.
- One person would be expected to do the work of an entire team. Meaning positions were not filled and people were over worked.

Pros

Good benefits. Good coworkers and friendly/open management. Supportive of work/life balance I wasn't there for very long so I can't say much more.

Cons

Some of the technology is old and outdated.. Pay is low compared to some other industries, but the benefits are great.

Pros

Great benefits and a great corporate culture. People here love the industry and love the company, and there are great benefits as well.

Cons

Below average compensation. Could be making much more in a different industry. Alaska (and I would assume most airlines) are cheap when it comes to compensation.

Pros

* Great family type atmosphere
* People are passionate about their business
* Generally, good work-life balance (unless during busy season or project work)
* One of the best in a tough industry
* Relatively small company, can make a real impact

Cons

* Management seems to be slow to get rid of poor performers
* Many leaders run things by micro-management, very much a command and control environment (more so in some areas than others)
* Pay appears to be indexed to airline averages. That is fine if you only employ pilots and flight attendants, but it doesn't work when you have skilled tech and management employees. There are plenty of other employers on the west coast that will pay double for comparable work.

Advice to Senior Management

Clean out the dead-wood and micro-managers for starters. Review compensation. Don't play games with resourcing. If you have a position open, fill it.

Pros

flight benefits are a plus and great people

Cons

low pay, bad health insurance