In Passing - Dunleavy Recall Shifts Gears, Alaska Airlines Extends Elite Status To December 2021

Recall Dunleavy campaign adjusts to Corona virus

The recall campaign was set to get its 70,000 plus signatures pretty fast this year.  Then the virus and its social distancing requirements slowed things down greatly.
I have to acknowledge that Gov. Dunleavy has done reasonably well on the regular briefings on the Corona Virus.  He knows things.  He doesn't ramble too often.  And most importantly, he lets his superstar medical director Dr. Anne Zink explain things in her clear yet in-depth and dispassionate manner without interrupting her.  Or maybe he just looks good in comparison to someone else.
But off camera he continues to act in ways that remind us why so many people want him recalled - such as the $500,000 no bid, surprise contract for distance ed to a Florida organization.  And his recent vetoes of so much of the budget.

The recall campaign is now mailing petitions to people's homes.  Below are links to get your petition:

Thank you for working with us to save Alaska. 🌟

SIGN @ HOME

DONATE TO RECALL

RECALL UPDATES

Alaska Airlines extends people's elite status until December 2021.

Alaska Airlines sent us a congratulatory letter letting us know we had reached elite status back when we were flying to LA once a month when my mom, in her 90s, was not doing well.  We even got to MVP Gold two years.  With grandkids in San Francisco and Seattle, it's not hard getting our 20,000 miles for MVP each year now.  (Along with donations to organizations fighting climate change as a form of carbon offset.)

MVP offers us a few perks worth having:

• early and better selection of seats when booking (though this has deteriorated a bit)
• occasional upgrades to premium seats or first class
• frequent designation as pre-check to get us through security with less hassle
• early boarding flights
• a phone number that gets us to an operator without any wait when we need to call

So with flying questionable this year for many people, getting MVP this year didn't seem likely.  Until Alaska Airlines emailed yesterday to say it would be extended through next year.  Thanks.

Today's email was that food service was pretty much ended on flights for the time being on flights under 350 miles and a water bottle for longer flights.  But that merely limits unnecessary closer than 6 foot contact.  

I'd note that I'm not comfortable with the term 'elite status.'  I guess in part because Conservatives throw around the word 'elite' to indicate anyone with an education and because it is something of a class distinction in our supposedly classless society.  But I don't see any Republicans refusing to take advantage of the perks that come with MVP.  Nor do I see egalitarian Democrats refusing their upgrades either.