Wine Check and Alaska Airlines get 'married'

It’s official. Alaska Airlines announced that the Wine Check is now the official wine flies free carrier. No bag fees when checking your Wine Check! Kudo’s to Todd French for arranging this.

Kudos to my friend Jean at Alaska for helping to put this deal to bed. champagne.gif

The details > Wine Flies Free - Alaska Airlines

By the way, Alaska Airlines still gives you full mileage credit on any fare, unlike the majors that only give you between 5 and 11 points per dollar spent.

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Alaska has allowed a free case checked out of most wine country area airports for years. Nice publicity for Todd and guess this extends to all locations now?

The Wine Check is the only ‘approved’ luggage to be used with the program, for a number of reasons. It works for all locations, yes - just have to be a Mileage Plan member and include that number in your reservation, then you get the free case in cargo.

I have a wine check so no issue but does this mean someone taking a 12 bottle foam shipper no longer works on its own? That seems more restrictive and backward progress? (Again for me it’s no biggie since I have a winecheck and love it). :slight_smile:

Just used the Alaska perk over the last weekend.

Used some battered styro shippers!

Is styro no longer acceptable?

Shippers are still acceptable, it’s just that they, like many users, prefer using a Wine Check as it is easier to handle

Good for EVERYONE involved in this, on all sides.

The flip side is United, which the last couple times I have flown with the Wine Check, they have informed me that it’s a non-conforming container and thus they are not responsible for any damage to the contents. Same with my golf travel bag. Pricks.

Yeah, that’s probably uneducated and lazy employees. United also is VERY vague on requirements. From their website:

All alcoholic beverages must be packed to prevent breakage. United shall not be liable for breakage or spillage of alcoholic beverages. Normal checked baggage allowance limits, excess fees and carry-on limits apply.

‘must be packed’ - that’s it. Hilarious. Most airlines state ‘professional packaging’ (which is exactly what a shipper box/insert is, as they are independently drop tested, shear tested, etc.) but not United.

I’m 'bout to fly Alaska a lot more now, as much as possible, anyway. With the acquisition of Virgin America, the routes have expanded, just not all that much.

Yeah United is pretty ridiculous. It’s always ‘enjoyable’ to see that restriction enforced on the return but not the outbound. I ask the agent to clarify the discrepancy and they always seem so surprised and state “then that agent who dealt with you wasn’t doing their job”.

By the way, this is funny…and it’s a bit of a PSA. Those who use Vingarde Valise might not get the case for free on Alaska because the employees can’t tell the difference between that and a standard piece of luggage, and they don’t have time to open each and check. Only a shipper box/insert or a Wine Check apply to the program.

Anyway, Vingarde Valise (through Fly With Wine) reached out to Alaska prior to them reaching out to us (that’s how they FOUND us, through the rejection of the proposal) and after they were denied the proposal, they produced this:
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You guys ever heard of TSA stealing the long strap on a wine check? Had it happen, wondering if I’m just unlucky.

So you had the long strap inside or in one of the zippered pockets and they took it. That sucks!

No issues here. Carried 5 trips worth this year and 4 last year with no issues. Always from SJC, SFO, or OAK to SLC.

Sean

I accidentally left the strap on the outside on my first trip. Don’t be like me. Mine is now held together with a carabiner.

Otherwise it’s been a great bag and I’m excited by this news.

Awesome Todd, since I fly almost exclusively on Alaska. [cheers.gif]

I make sure to put it in the pocket before check in Haven’t been taken yet. That’s a bummer to hear :frowning:

Damn - yeah, as others have said, the zippered pocket is for that strap. Maybe I can convince a gal I know to send you an extra…

I haven’t taken advantage of this but will later this year. Does the wine check fly free on the way to any of those airports, or only when departing?

good stuff but I’ve never checked a wine box, always ship LOL