Alaska Airlines changed my flight

Question

My wife and other family members booked a roundtrip flight in January. The original trip had us return direct flight (which was why we chose the airline) at noon. Alaska changed our flight to an 8 AM return instead of the scheduled noon return and added in a stop. They did not tell us. When we realized the flight changed, we contacted them and they came back with an alternative flight that departs at 6 PM of our intended return day instead of noon, also with a stop. Can airlines do that? This feels like a bait-and-switch. We paid for a direct flight and they replaced it with an indirect flight, longer travel time, later departure, and they didn't even tell us about the change. I know that in cases of weather emergency or crew shortages, flights get cancelled all the time. But clearly, different flight times, duration, and number of stops are priced into the ticket cost. If they downgrade you to a less desirable (and risk of missing connection) flight, there should be some compensation as that is not the level of service that we paid for.

Answer 1

Can airlines do that?

Yes they can. As @Lambshaanxy says in a comment, your options are to accept the change, negotiate for a better option, or get a full refund.

Alaska’s T&C Rule 8. Liability for Delays, Cancellations, and Denied Boarding says, for example:

A. Liability of Carrier: Except to the extent provided in Paragraph D of this Rule, Alaska shall not be liable for failing to operate any flight according to schedule or for changing the schedule of any flight, with or without notice to the Passenger. This exclusion from liability includes actual and Consequential Damages.

D. Change in Schedule: Flight schedules are subject to change without notice, and the times shown on Alaska's published schedules, Tickets, timetable and advertising are not guaranteed and form no part of this Contract of Carriage. At times, without prior notice to Passengers, Alaska may need to substitute other aircraft and may change, add, or omit intermediate stops. Alaska cannot guarantee that Passengers will make Connections to other flights by Alaska or by other Carriers. In the event of flight Schedule Changes or service withdrawals, Alaska will attempt to notify affected Passengers as early as possible. Alaska will promptly provide Passengers the best available information regarding known delays, cancellations, misconnections and diversions, but Alaska is not liable for any misstatements or other errors or omissions in connection with providing such information. No employee, agent or representative of Alaska can bind Alaska legally by reason of any statements relating to flight status or other information. When a ticketed, confirmed Passenger will be delayed because of a change in Alaska's schedule as defined in Rule 1 (Schedule Change), Alaska will arrange to: Transport the Passenger to his/her destination or next ticketed Stopover point on another Alaska flight on which space is available in the same or higher class of service than reflected on the Passenger's Ticket at no additional charge; or Refund according to Rule 17 Involuntary Refunds

• Exception 1: When an Alaska Schedule Change results in the cancellation of all Alaska service between two cities, Alaska will reroute Passengers holding confirmed reservations on Alaska between such cities over the lines of one or more other Carriers at no additional cost to the Passenger.
• Exception 2: Change in schedule does not include Force Majeure Events.