Category Archives: Alaska Airlines
Horizon Cuts Routes, Flight Frequencies
June 16, 2010 — 3:51 pm PDT
Updated June 16, 2010 — 4:04 pm PDT
Horizon and Alaska aircraft at their LAX hub (photo credit: Darren Popik)
Horizon Air has announced that it’s cutting six routes from its network, including three out of their Los Angeles hub, while cutting frequencies elsewhere.
The regional division of the Alaska Air Group plans to scrap LAX-Boise, LAX-Prescott, and LAX-Redmond, as well as Boise-Idaho Falls, Redding-Seattle, and Sacramento-Santa Barbara.
Food & Drinks on Planes, Part I: The Free Stuff
June 16, 2010 — 2:32 pm PDT
Updated June 16, 2010 — 2:58 pm PDT
And the winner for best snacks is ... (photo credit: Darren Popik)
According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, major U.S. carriers spent $3.67 per passenger on food in 2009, compared to $4.77 in 1999.
That may come as a surprise to many flyers, who have seen complimentary meals on planes disappear over the past decade. Airlines still spent $3.67? On what?
Meal service has been downgraded in many cases to nothing more than beverage service for economy-class flyers. It’s only those in the first-class and business-class cabins that still get free food. For everyone else, it’s basically buy-on-board food.
JD Power Airline Survey: JetBlue #1 for 5th Year
June 8, 2010 — 8:42 am PDT
Updated June 8, 2010 — 9:02 am PDT
JetBlue (credit: Darren Popik)
When you’re on a roll, the good news keeps coming. That certainly seems to be the case for JetBlue.
The low-cost carrier has just taken top spot among North American airlines in J.D. Power’s annual customer satisfaction survey. It’s the fifth consecutive year that JetBlue has been ranked as the top low-cost carrier.
Want a Frequent Flyer Award Ticket? Beware of Delta, US Airways
May 13, 2010 — 10:00 am PDT
Updated May 13, 2010 — 10:24 am PDT
Fair warning: If you collect frequent flyer miles in the hopes of exchanging them for free tickets, you better choose your airline carefully.
As airlines have cut flights, and the total number of seats they fly, the number of seats available for award travel has also declined.
But as the Wall Street Journal reports, award availability also varies considerably depending on the airline. Among U.S. carriers, your best chances for success are with Southwest Airlines or Alaska Airlines, says consulting firm IdeaWorks.
Southwest, Alaska Turn Profits; Continental Posts Loss
April 22, 2010 — 11:38 am PDT
Updated April 22, 2010 — 2:01 pm PDT
Alaska Jets in Southern California (Credit: Darren Popik)
Passenger revenues are up, but fuel prices are also taking a bigger bite out of the bottom line at the nation’s air carriers.
Today, three more carriers reported their first quarter 2010 financial results.
For Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines, the positive news continued with both carriers posting profits.
From Flight Attendant to CEO: WestJet’s Gregg Saretsky
March 22, 2010 — 10:58 am PDT
Updated April 2, 2010 — 2:55 pm PDT
Incoming WestJet CEO Gregg Saretsky
It may seem like a long road to take from serving coffee to the CEO’s office, but that’s just what’s happening for one new airline chief executive.
Gregg Saretsky got his start in the airline industry as a flight attendant with Air Canada.
United Joins the Mobile Boarding Pass Club
March 15, 2010 — 2:40 pm PDT
United Airlines has become the newest airline to offer its customers mobile or electronic boarding passes.As we wrote last week, four other airlines also offer the paperless boarding option: Alaska Airlines, American, Continental, and Delta.Click here for …
AA, Alaska Airlines Increase Availability of Electronic Boarding Passes
March 11, 2010 — 10:43 am PST
Updated March 24, 2010 — 3:39 pm PDT
Airlines are making it easier for you to pass through security and board a plane without having to show a paper boarding pass.
Many carriers have begun use of electronic boarding passes, which allow you to display a mobile version of your boarding pass on your smart phone for scanning by TSA officials and gate agents.
If your phone can display a simple two-dimensional bar code, you’re in luck.
Alaska Airlines Adds Wi-Fi
February 24, 2010 — 9:16 am PST
Updated March 29, 2010 — 2:09 pm PDT
Alaska Airlines (photo: Darren Popik/AeroChannel)
Alaska Airlines has elected to equip its entire fleet with Wi-Fi using Aircell’s Gogo service.
The airline has not said how long it expects …
United – One-Way Cash+Miles Awards
February 3, 2010 — 10:00 am PST
Updated March 25, 2010 — 4:25 pm PDT
United Airlines is the latest airline to offer frequent flyers one-way award tickets.
Like competitor American Airlines, United customers will be able to get a one-way award for half the miles required for a round-trip ticket.
Alaska Airlines, AirTran, and Southwest Airlines also offer one-way awards.
In addition, for those customers who don’t …
