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Alaska Airlines

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Alaska Airlines
IATA ICAO Callsign
AS ASA ALASKA
Founded1932 (as McGee Airways)
Hubs
Focus cities
Frequent-flyer programMileage Plan
SubsidiariesHorizon Air
Fleet size114
Destinations92
HeadquartersSeaTac, Washington
Key peopleWilliam "Bill" Ayer (CEO)
Websitehttp://www.alaskaair.com

Alaska Airlines, (NYSE: ALK) is an airline based in SeaTac, Washington, United States [1] , between the cities of Seattle and Tacoma. It operates hubs at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and Portland International Airport with focus cities at Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco International Airport.[2]

History

The airline traces its roots to McGee Airways, which flew its inaugural service between Anchorage and Bristol Bay in 1932 with a Stinson single-engined, three-passenger aircraft. Mergers and acquisitions produced changes in the name and saw business expand throughout Alaska and the USA. The airline was called "Alaska Star Airlines" in 1942. The name Alaska Airlines was adopted in 1944 having narrowly beat a competitor applying for the name.[3] Alaska Airlines moved to the jet age when it brought in a Convair CV-990. Alaska's sister (and wholly owned) airline, Horizon Air, was founded in 1981 to serve communities using routes vacated by larger airlines after the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978. In 1985, Alaska Air Group was formed as a holding company for Alaska Airlines. A year later the holding company acquired Horizon Air and Jet America Airlines, which merged into Alaska Airlines in 1987. The airline employs 9,866 staff (at March 2007).[4]

Destinations

File:7377SEA618AS 01.jpg
A Boeing 737-700 arriving at Alaska Airlines' hub at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900 at Oakland International Airport. Alaska was the launch customer of the aircraft.
File:Alaskabrokedown.JPG
A Boeing 737 Alaska Airlines aircraft undergoing repairs at San Francisco International Airport
Main article: Alaska Airlines destinations

Alaska's route system spans more than 92 cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The airline operated charter flights to the Russian Far East starting in the late 1960s, and was known for the 1988 Friendship Flight to Provideniya that broke the old Soviet border.[citation needed] The airline began scheduled operations to the Russian Far East in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union, but suspended the service in 1998 following the Russian financial crisis. The airline flew MD-80 aircraft on these routes.

Alaska has historically been one of the largest carriers on the US west coast as well as to and within the State of Alaska, with strong presences in Seattle, Portland, the San Francisco Bay Area and the Los Angeles Metro Area (serving all five LA-area and three Bay Area major airports). With the delivery of 737 Next-Generation aircraft starting in 1999, Alaska began launching more long-haul flights. In 2000, Alaska started service between Anchorage and Chicago. In 2001, the airline was granted slot exemptions by the Department of Transportation to operate a nonstop flight from Washington National Airport (DCA) to Seattle, which was halted after a few days due to the September 11, 2001 attacks. The service resumed the following year, with an additional flight from Washington National to Seattle added in 2004, as well as new non-stop service between Washington National and Los Angeles. Other long-haul flights from Seattle were launched starting in 2002, including flights to Orlando, Dulles Airport near Washington D.C., Boston, Miami, and Newark. In October 2007, Alaska Airlines began service to Hawaii, providing non-stop service to Honolulu from Seattle and Anchorage as well as service to Lihue, Kauai from Seattle.

Alaska Airlines' regional carrier, Horizon Air, is closely integrated into Alaska's operations, with Alaska and Horizon sharing many routes. Alaska and Horizon are owned by the same parent company, Alaska Air Group. The airline's frequent flyer program is called Mileage Plan. Alaska Airlines is not part of any of the three major airline alliances, but Mileage Plan airline partners include prominent members of SkyTeam, such as Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, KLM, and Air France, as well as members of Oneworld, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Qantas.

Fleet

The Alaska Airlines all-Boeing (including McDonnell Douglas) fleet consists of the following aircraft as of December 2007:[5]:

Alaska Airlines Fleet
Aircraft Total Passengers Notes
Boeing 737-400 35 144 (12/132) 1 undergoing conversion to 737-400CAP
Boeing 737-400F 1 Cargo (10 freight pallets)
Boeing 737-400C 4 72 (72) Configuration: Front-Cargo, Rear-Passengers
First four of five aircraft now in service
Boeing 737-700 20 124 (12/112) 2 additional leased to Lucky Air
Boeing 737-800 29
(30 orders) 		157 (16/141)
160 (16/144) 		Replacing: McDonnell Douglas MD-83
Boeing 737-900 12 172 (16/156) Launch customer
Will retrofit 9 with winglets
McDonnell Douglas MD-83 15 140 (12/128) To be phased out
Exit from service: End 2008
Replacement aircraft: Boeing 737-800

Retired fleet

Alaska Airlines Retired Fleet
Aircraft Year Retired Notes
Boeing 727-200 1993 Replaced by 737-400
Boeing 737-200 2007 Replaced by 737-400C

As of November 2007, the average age of Alaska Airlines' fleet is 8.9 years.[6]

Alaska operates a fleet of Boeing 737 and MD-80 (under McDonnell Douglas when purchased or leased) jets which is one of the youngest among all major airlines. The airline ultimately plans to replace all MD-80 aircraft with Boeing 737-800s by the end of 2008. Alaska was the launch customer for the 737-900 stretch variant and also uses 737-400, 737-700 and 737-800 throughout its system. Starting in late 2005, Alaska began modifying some of its 737-400's to all-cargo or cargo-passenger configuration to replace its aging fleet of 737-200 Combi aircraft. The first of these aircraft entered service as a freighter in July 2006, while several 737-400 aircraft have been reconfigured to a fixed passenger/cargo configuration. Alaska retired five 737-200 aircraft in 2006. The last 737-200 was retired March 31, 2007. [citation needed]

On June 15, 2005, Alaska ordered 35 Boeing 737-800 aircraft worth $2.3 billion (at list prices) plus options for 15 additional aircraft and purchase rights for another 50, making it one of the largest orders for the 737-800.[7][8] The first of these aircraft was delivered in January 2006, with deliveries scheduled to continue for the next six years (ref: Air International, July 2005). The retired MD-80's will be stored in Mojave Spaceport (in Mojave, California) or Southern California Logistics Airport (in Victorville, California).

Inflight services

Meals

  • Complimentary meals or light snacks are served to passengers in the first class cabin. Alaska offers various five dollar "Picnic Packs" for coach class on all flights while these are for free in First class. In 2006 the airline launched its buy on board meal program, known as Northern Bites, on most flights over three hours in length, including all transcontinental flights replacing the complimentary sandwiches the company was known for. [9]
  • Since the mid-1970s Alaska Airlines has included a prayer card with each in-flight meal which quotes a select verse from the Book of Psalms. [10]

Entertainment

  • Alaska Airlines is recognized by the World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) as having a "historical first" in Inflight entertainment by introducing in October 2003 the first portable, hard-drive based, audio-video-on-demand players that deliver a variety of film, TV, and audio programs. [11] The device, called the digEplayer was conceived and brought to market by an Alaska Airlines baggage handler named Bill Boyer Jr.[12] [13]
  • Alaska Airlines received the "Airline IFE Service of the Year" award at the March 2004 IPEC/LARA Inflight Online Awards Dinner based upon the implementation of the digEplayer, which was awarded "IFE Product of the Year." [14]
  • digEplayers are available for rent on most long-haul flights for $10 and can be reserved online. On flights between Seattle and Anchorage and Seattle and Fairbanks, digEplayers are available for $5. They are complimentary to passengers seated in First Class.[15]

Internet access

Board Room

Alaska Airlines' airport lounge is called the Board Room. There are six clubs, all located on the west coast. Board Room members also have access to the Continental Airlines President's Club, Delta Air Lines Crown Room Club, and Northwest Airlines WorldClubs. Listed below are the Board Room locations:

Codeshare agreements

Alaska Airlines does not participate in any major global alliances, but the airline has codeshare agreements with several United States airlines. It currently has codeshare agreements with American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Northwest Airlines. The majority of its codeshares are with American Airlines, and the two airlines both use the SABRE reservation system.

Alaska Airlines also has codeshare agreements with foreign carriers, such as Qantas and Air France-KLM.

Employees

As of March 2007, Alaska Airlines employs 9,866 employees.[4] Since 2005, Alaska has outsourced its baggage handling duties at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Menzies Aviation. Menzies also handles Alaska's ramp services at a number of other airports along the West Coast and in Mexico, while Alaska retains its own ramp employees in the State of Alaska. Alaska's heavy aircraft maintenance used to be done by the carrier in Oakland, California but since 2005 it's been done by companies in Abbotsford, British Columbia, and Oklahoma City. The airline still performs routine maintenance at its hangar at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Livery

The alaskaair.com and Spirit of Disneyland planes together at Portland International Airport in Portland, Oregon

Alaska's first livery consisted of the words "Alaska" in gold on its tails. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, a painting of an Eskimo, still used by the carrier, was added to the livery.

Three 737-400 aircraft feature special Disney paint schemes. Another 737-400 is painted to look like a giant salmon (known in aviation circles as the "Salmon-Thirty-Salmon"), while one 737-400 and one 737-800 feature the "reverse scheme" livery with alaskaair.com painted on the sides. The colors of Alaska Airlines starting in the 1980s were blue and green. At the start of the 1990s Alaska's colors became ink blue and teal. In November 2006 Alaska added another 737 to its fleet in the Disney Genie scheme. Alaska also used to have Eskimos speaking phrases such as, "Thank you for flying Alaska" and wearing sunglasses. The fleet has another special 737-800 with Alaska's first color scheme to celebrate the carrier's 75th anniversary. Alaska's flights to Hawaii, operated by 737-800, feature an Eskimo with a lei around his neck, as part of the carrier's inaugural service to the islands.

Incidents and accidents

  • On November 30, 1947, an Alaska Airlines Douglas DC-4 (Registration NC91009), flying as Flight 009 with routing Anchorage-Yakutat-Port Hardy-Seattle, crash landed while attempting to make an ILS approach at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Seattle. The plane went off the runway, rolled down an embankment, struck a ditch, and continued onto the intersection of Des Moines Highway and South 188th Street where it struck an automobile, catching fire and spilling gasoline all over the area. Of the 28 occupants onboard, there were 8 fatalities, plus the person driving in the car. The cause of the crash was attributed to pilot error. [17]
  • On January 20, 1949 Flight 8, a Douglas DC-3 was on routing Homer, AK-Kenai, AK when the plane struck the side of Ptarmigan Head 9 miles E of the center of the airway to Kenai. Of the 6 passengers onboard, there were 5 fatalities. The cause was determined to be the action of the pilot in straying off the designated airway.
  • On March 2, 1957, an Alaska Airlines Douglas C-54B (Registration N90449) operating as Flight 100 routing Seattle-Fairbanks-Seattle "hit a mountain 3.8 miles from Blyn while on approach to Seattle. All 5 occupants perished. The Captain intentionally entered an area of low overcast in mountainous terrain."[1].
  • On July 21, 1961, an Alaska Airlines DC-6A (Registration N6118C) operating Seattle-Shemya "crashed short of the runway due to the fact that the air traffic controller in the tower had forgotten to turn on the runway and approach lighting systems during a landing at night." All 6 on board were killed.[2].
  • On April 5, 1976, Alaska Airlines Flight 60, a Boeing 727-81 (Registration N124AS) operating Juneau-Ketchikan overran the runway while landing in Ketchikan, Alaska after the Captain decided to attempt a go around at the last moment. One passenger died of a heart attack following the accident. The cause of the crash was determined to be pilot error for initiating a go-around after commitment to landing and the pilot's "unprofessional decision" to abandon the precision approach[4].
NTSB animation of N963AS (Alaska Airlines Flight 261)
  • On January 31, 2000, Alaska Airlines Flight 261, an MD-83 plunged into the Pacific Ocean near Point Mugu, California shortly before attempting an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport en route from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to San Francisco and Seattle, killing all 88 people on board. In its final report, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined the cause of the accident to be failure of the horizontal stabilizer trim system jackscrew acme nut threads due to insufficient lubrication of the jackscrew assembly by Alaska Airlines. NTSB further determined that the insufficient lubrication resulted from Alaska's extended lubrication and inspection intervals and from the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) approval of those intervals. NTSB also found that the lack of a fail-safe mechanism for the failure of the acme nut threads on the MD-80 design contributed to the accident. This incident, along with the earlier ValuJet crash, led to closer FAA oversight of airline maintenance operations.[5]. The accident was the subject of episode 6, season 1, of the documentary series, Mayday.
  • December 26, 2005: Flight 536, which was headed from Seattle, Washington to Burbank, California was forced to make an emergency landing. The cause was a foot-long hole in the fuselage, which caused the plane to lose cabin pressure. According to NTSB spokesman Jim Struhsaker, a baggage handler has admitted failing to immediately report bumping the plane at the gate with baggage handling equipment. The Associated Press quotes Stuhsaker saying "The bump created a crease in the plane's aluminum skin, which opened to a 12- by 6-inch gash as the plane came under increased pressure differential at 26,000 feet. [18] [19]

References

  1. ^ "Media Contacts: Alaska Airlines," Alaska Airlines
  2. ^ Alaska Airlines Company Facts
  3. ^ http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=2107
  4. ^ a b "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-03-27. pp. 71–72.
  5. ^ Alaska Airlines Fleet Facts
  6. ^ Alaska Airlines Fleet Age
  7. ^ "Alaska Airlines Orders 35 Boeing 737-800s". Alaska Airlines. 2006-06-15. Retrieved 2006-01-24.
  8. ^ "Boeing, Alaska Airlines Announce Order for 35 Boeing Next-Generation 737-800s". Boeing. 2006-06-15. Retrieved 2006-01-24.
  9. ^ Meal Service on Alaska Airlines
  10. ^ Smith, Patrick, "Ask the pilot: Would you like a little Old Testament with your coffee? How Alaska Airlines has been pushing the Bible for 20 years, and other tales of the religious skies.," Salon Magazine
  11. ^ WAEA Inflight Entertainment Historical Firsts
  12. ^ Alaska To Become First Carrier To Offer APS DigEPlayer Portable Video On Demand Entertainment System
  13. ^ Sky's the limit for a baggage handler's in-flight entertainment system
  14. ^ IPEC: Inflight Online Awards Dinner
  15. ^ Movies, Music, and More from digEplayer
  16. ^ Alaska Airlines Working With Row 44 To Launch Inflight Wireless Internet Service
  17. ^ http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19471130-0 Aviation Safety Network
  18. ^ ""Absolutely terrifying" flight after ground-crew mistake," The Seattle Times
  19. ^ "Alaska Airlines Sued in Jet Mishap," The Seattle Times
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