Alaska Airlines
264796
225977329
2008-07-16T08:24:13Z
24.16.61.62
{{Infobox_Airline
|airline=Alaska Airlines
|logo=Alaska Airlines Logo.svg
|logo_size=250
|fleet_size=114
|destinations=61
|IATA=AS
|ICAO=ASA
|callsign=ALASKA
|founded=1932 (as McGee Airways)<ref name="NAAH">{{cite book|last=Norwood|first=Tom|coauthors=Wegg, John|title=North American Airlines Handbook|publisher=Airways International|location=Sandpoint, ID|date=2002|edition=3rd|isbn=0-9653993-8-9|url=http://www.airwaysnews.com}}</ref>
|commenced=[[June 6]], [[1944]]<ref name="NAAH"/>
|headquarters=[[Seattle, Washington|Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]]
|key_people=William "Bill" Ayer (CEO)
|hubs=
<div>
*[[Seattle-Tacoma International Airport]]
*[[Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport]]
*[[Portland International Airport]]
*[[Los Angeles International Airport]]<ref>[http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=109361&p=irol-homeProfile&t=&id=& alaskaair.com-Investor Relations-Corporate Profile] retrieved 7/10/2008</ref>
</div>
|frequent_flyer=Mileage Plan
|lounge=Board Room
|subsidiaries=[[Horizon Air]]
|website= http://www.alaskaair.com
}}
'''Alaska Airlines''', ({{NYSE|ALK}}) is an airline based in [[Seattle, Washington|Seattle]], [[Washington]], [[United States]].<ref>"[http://www.alaskasworld.com/Newsroom/ASnews/media.asp Media Contacts: Alaska Airlines]," ''Alaska Airlines''</ref> It operates hubs at [[Seattle-Tacoma International Airport]], [[Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport]], [[Portland International Airport]] and [[Los Angeles International Airport]].<ref>[http://www.alaskasworld.com/newsroom/ASNews/AS-Fact-Sheet_Cities.asp Alaska Airlines Company Facts]</ref>
== History ==
The airline traces its roots to '''McGee Airways''', which flew its inaugural service between [[Anchorage, Alaska|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. As of 1942, the airline was known as "Alaska Star Airlines." The name Alaska Airlines was adopted in 1944 having narrowly beat a competitor applying for the name.<ref>[http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=2107 HistoryLink Essay: Alaska Airlines<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Alaska Airlines moved to the jet age when it introduced a [[Convair 880|Convair CV-880]] in 1961. 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).<ref name="FI">{{cite news | title= Directory: World Airlines | work= [[Flight International]] | pages= 71-72 | date= 2007-03-27}}</ref>
== Destinations ==
[[Image:7377SEA618AS 01.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Boeing 737|Boeing 737-700]] arriving at Alaska Airlines' hub at [[Seattle-Tacoma International Airport]]]]
[[Image:Alaska Airlines 737-900.JPG|thumb|right|Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900 at [[Oakland International Airport]]. Alaska was the launch customer of the aircraft.]]
[[Image:Alaskabrokedown.JPG|thumb|right|A [[Boeing 737]] Alaska Airlines aircraft undergoing repairs at [[San Francisco International Airport <!-- That is a 737, you can tell by the engine shape -->]]]]
[[Image:AlaskaAirlinesinBarrow1207.jpg|thumb|right|Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-400 Combi at [[Wiley Post-Will Rogers Memorial Airport]] in [[Barrow, Alaska]].]]
{{main|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.{{Fact|date=May 2007}} 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, Washington|Seattle]], [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], the [[San Francisco Bay Area]] and the [[Greater Los Angeles Area|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]]<ref>http://www.alaskasworld.com/newsroom/asnews/asstories/as_20011203_140312.asp</ref>. 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 2001, including flights to Washington Dulles (2001<ref>http://www.alaskasworld.com/newsroom/asnews/asstories/as_20011203_140312.asp</ref>, route has since stopped), [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]] (2002)<ref>http://www.alaskasworld.com/newsroom/asnews/asstories/as_20030226_090313.asp</ref>, [[Miami]] (2002)<ref>http://www.alaskasworld.com/newsroom/qxnews/qxstories/qx_20021121_100846.asp</ref>, [[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]] (2002) <ref>http://www.alaskasworld.com/newsroom/asnews/asstories/as_20021028_082333.asp</ref>, and [[Boston]] (2003)<ref>http://www.alaskasworld.com/newsroom/asnews/asstories/as_20020327_100942.asp</ref>. In October 2007, Alaska Airlines began service to [[Hawaii]] and currently provides non-stop service to [[Honolulu]] and [[Kahului]], [[Maui]] from Seattle and Anchorage as well as service to [[Lihue]], [[Kauai]] from Seattle. Alaska recently announced new service from Seattle to [[Minneapolis]]/[[St. Paul]] beginning [[October 26]], [[2008]] and to [[Kona]] beginning [[November 17]], [[2008]].
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 alliance]]s, 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 [[Boeing|all-Boeing]] (including [[McDonnell Douglas]]) fleet consists of the following aircraft as of July 2008:<ref>[http://www.alaskaair.com/as/www2/company/Fleet/Fleet.asp Alaska Airlines Fleet Facts]</ref>
<center>
{| class="toccolours sortable" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="border-collapse:collapse"
|+ '''Alaska Airlines Fleet'''
|- bgcolor=#efefef
!Aircraft
!Total
!Passengers <br> <small>(First/Economy)</small>
!Notes
|-
|[[Boeing 737-400]]
|34
|144 (12/132)
|
|-
|[[Boeing 737|Boeing 737-400F]]
|1
|
|Cargo (10 freight pallets)
|-
|Boeing 737-400C
|5
|72 (72)
|Configuration: Front-Cargo, Rear-Passengers
|-
|[[Boeing 737-700]]
|20
|124 (12/112)
|
|-
|[[Boeing 737-800]]
|37 <br> (24 orders)
|157 (16/141)
|Replacing: [[McDonnell Douglas MD-80/MD-90|McDonnell Douglas MD-83]]
|-
|[[Boeing 737-900]]
|12
|172 (16/156)
|Launch customer
|-
|McDonnell Douglas MD-83
|7
|140 (12/128)
|Exit from service: [[August 24]], [[2008]] <br> Replacement aircraft: Boeing 737-800 (All 7 to be flown into Sacramento, San Jose, and Oakland California on 8/24/08 to end Alaska Airlines' service of the MD-80. Alaska Airlines Flight 331 from San Jose (Leaving at 7:50 P.M.) to Seattle will mark the end of Alaska Airlines' MD-80 service on Sunday, August 24 at 9:49 PM.)
|}
</center>
=== Retired ===
<center>
{| class="toccolours sortable" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="border-collapse:collapse"
|+ '''Alaska Airlines Retired Fleet'''
|- bgcolor=#efefef
!Aircraft
!Year Retired
!Notes
|-
|[[Boeing 727-200]]
|1993
|Replaced by [[737-400]]
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas MD-80/MD-90|McDonnell Douglas MD-82]]
|2006
|Replaced By [[737-800]]
|-
|[[Boeing 737-200C]]
|2007
|Replaced by [[737-400C]]
|}
</center>
As of June 2008, the average age of Alaska Airlines' fleet is 8.6 years.<ref>[http://www.airfleets.net/ageflotte/?file=calcop&opp=Alaska%20Airlines Alaska Airlines Fleet Age]</ref>
On [[June 15]], [[2005]], Alaska ordered 35 [[Boeing 737#737-800|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.<ref name="alaskaair-news">{{cite web|url=http://www.alaskasworld.com/Newsroom/ASNews/ASstories/AS_20050615_132704.asp |title= Alaska Airlines Orders 35 Boeing 737-800s|date=2006-06-15 |accessdate=2006-01-24 |publisher=Alaska Airlines }}</ref> The first of these aircraft was delivered in January 2006, with deliveries scheduled to continue for the next six years.
== 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. 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. <ref>[http://www.alaskaair.com/as/www2/help/faqs/MealService.asp Meal Service on Alaska Airlines]</ref>
* Since the mid-1970s, Alaska Airlines has included a card with many in-flight meals, which quotes a select verse from the [[Book of Psalms]]. <ref>Smith, Patrick, "[http://dir.salon.com/story/tech/col/smith/2004/02/27/askthepilot76/index.html 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]]''</ref>
===Entertainment===
* Alaska Airlines is recognized by the World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) as having a "historic first" in [[Inflight entertainment]] by introducing in October 2003 the first portable, hard-drive based, [[AVOD|audio-video-on-demand (AVOD)]] players that deliver a variety of film, TV, and audio programs. <ref>[http://www.waea.org/ife.htm WAEA Inflight Entertainment Historical Firsts]</ref> The device, called the [[digEplayer]] was conceived and brought to market by an Alaska Airlines [[baggage handler]] named [[Bill Boyer Jr.]]<ref>[http://www.alaskasworld.com/newsroom/asnews/ASstories/AS_20030909_084339.asp Alaska To Become First Carrier To Offer APS DigEPlayer Portable Video On Demand Entertainment System]</ref> <ref> [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/138884_airdvd10.html Sky's the limit for a baggage handler's in-flight entertainment system]</ref>
* 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." <ref>
[http://www.shephard.co.uk/Inflight/default.aspx?Action=-1000945703&ID=cd458d98-c56c-4ef7-841f-c0770a12f7f4 IPEC: Inflight Online Awards Dinner]</ref>
* [[digEplayer]]s 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.<ref>[http://www.alaskaair.com/as/www2/Flights/digEplayer.asp Movies, Music, and More from digEplayer]</ref>
===Internet access===
* Alaska says it will launch in-flight [[broadband]] [[wireless]] Internet service in 2008. <ref>[http://www.alaskasworld.com/Newsroom/ASNews/ASstories/AS_20070918_080507.asp Alaska Airlines Working With Row 44 To Launch Inflight Wireless Internet Service]</ref>
== Board Room ==
Alaska Airlines' [[airport lounge]] is called the Board Room. There are six clubs, all located on the [[West Coast of the United States|west coast]]. Board Room members also have access to the [[Continental Airlines|Continental Airlines President's Club]], [[Delta Air Lines|Delta Air Lines Crown Room Club]], and [[Northwest Airlines|Northwest Airlines WorldClubs]]. There are Board Rooms in:
*[[Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport|Anchorage]]
*[[Los Angeles International Airport|Los Angeles]]
*[[Portland International Airport|Portland]]
*[[San Francisco International Airport|San Francisco]]
*[[Seattle-Tacoma International Airport|Seattle]]
*[[Vancouver International Airport|Vancouver]]
== Codeshare agreements ==
[[Image:Alaska-737-4QB-YVR.jpg|thumb|right|An Alaska [[737-400]] landing at [[Vancouver International Airport]]]]
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 (computer system)|Sabre]] reservation system.
Alaska Airlines also has codeshare agreements with foreign carriers, such as [[Qantas]], [[Air France-KLM]], [[Cathay Pacific]] and [[British Airways]].
On [[July 8]], [[2008]] Alaska Airlines announced Frontier Flying Service (d.b.a Frontier Alaska) as a new codeshare partner beginning in fall of 2008.
== Employees ==
As of March 2007, Alaska Airlines employs 9,866 employees.<ref name="FI"/> Since 2005, Alaska has outsourced its baggage handling duties at [[Seattle-Tacoma International Airport]] to [[John Menzies|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 performed by the carrier in [[Oakland, California]], but since 2005 it has been performed by companies in [[Abbotsford, British Columbia]], and [[Oklahoma City]]. The airline still performs routine maintenance at its hangar at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Alaska's pilot group consists of approximately 1600 pilots represented by the [[Air Line Pilots Association, International]].
== Livery==
[[Image:Alaska airlines first two special planes together at PDX.JPG|thumb|right|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. In honor of Alaska's inaugural flights to Hawaii, operated by the 737-800, five of these models now feature the Eskimo with a Hawaiian [[lei]] around his neck.
== 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. <ref>http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19471130-0 Aviation Safety Network </ref>
* On [[January 20]], [[1949]] Flight 8, a [[Douglas DC-3]] was on routing [[Homer, Alaska]]-[[Kenai, Alaska]] 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 [[August 8]], [[1954]], a [[Douglas DC-3]] operating the routing of [[McGrath, Alaska]]-[[Colorado Creek, Alaska]] crashed into the side of a mountain about 25 miles northwest of McGrath. Both crew members perished.
* On [[March 2]], [[1957]], an Alaska Airlines [[C-54 Skymaster|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."[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19570302-0].
* 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.[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19610721-0].
* On [[September 4]], [[1971]], [[Alaska Airlines Flight 1866]], a [[Boeing 727|Boeing 727-193]] operating Anchorage-[[Cordova, Alaska|Cordova]]-Yakutat]-[[Juneau]]-[[Sitka]] crashed into a mountain in the [[Chilkat Mountain Range]] about 18.5 miles from the airport while on approach to Juneau. All seven crew members and 104 passengers were killed. The cause of the crash was determined to be misleading navigational information given to the flight, the failure of the crew to use all navigational aids and not performing the required audio identification of the navigational facilities [http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19610721-0].
* On [[April 5]], [[1976]], [[Alaska Airlines Flight 60]], a [[Boeing 727|Boeing 727-81]] (Registration N124AS) operating [[Juneau]]-[[Ketchikan]] overran the runway while landing in Ketchikan 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[http://amelia.db.erau.edu/reports/ntsb/aar/AAR76-20.pdf].
[[Image:Airplane animation 261 still lg.PNG|thumb|[[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]] while preparing to attempt 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 Airlines|ValuJet]] crash, led to closer FAA oversight of airline maintenance operations.[http://www.ntsb.gov/Events/2000/Aka261/default.htm]. The accident was the subject of episode 6, season 1, of the documentary series, [[Mayday (TV series)|Mayday]].
* [[December 26]], [[2005]]: Flight 536, which was headed from Seattle 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 admitted to failing to immediately report bumping the plane at the gate with baggage handling equipment. The [[Associated Press]] quotes Struhsaker 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. <ref>"[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002707586_plane28m.html "Absolutely terrifying" flight after ground-crew mistake]," ''[[The Seattle Times]]''</ref> <ref>"[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002783168_alaska04.html Alaska Airlines Sued in Jet Mishap]," ''[[The Seattle Times]]''</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
==External links==
{{Commons|Alaska Airlines}}
*[http://www.alaskaair.com/ Alaska Airlines]
*[http://www.alaskaairlinesmagazine.com/ Alaska Airlines Magazine inflight magazine]
*[http://www.alaskaairintl.com/ Alaska Airlines International]
{{Airlines of the United States}}
{{IATA members|northam}}
{{Air Transport Association}}
{{Seattle Corporations}}
[[Category:Airlines of the United States]]
[[Category:IATA members]]
[[Category:Air Transport Association members]]
[[Category:Companies based in Seattle, Washington]]
[[Category:Transportation in Alaska]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 1932]]
[[ca:Alaska Airlines]]
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[[id:Alaska Airlines]]
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[[ja:アラスカ航空]]
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