Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) and Horizon Air (Seattle/Tacoma) have issued this announcement:

Mascots and school colors from two of Alaska’s most beloved and heated collegiate rivals, the University of Alaska Anchorage and the University of Alaska Fairbanks, will soon be featured on two of Alaska Airlines’ Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) turboprop aircraft. The colorful paint themes will be unveiled tonight (December 6) to a crowd of fans at the Sullivan Arena where the Alaska Nanooks and UAA Seawolf hockey teams will battle in the first of a four-game series to claim the Alaska Airlines Governor’s Cup.

“We’re thrilled to show Alaska Airlines’ strong support of education while growing our fleet of university paint themes with our first two schools in Alaska,” said Marilyn Romano, Alaska Airlines’ regional vice president – Alaska. “The UAA and UAF school colors will proudly fly between our two largest cities and from Anchorage to Kodiak.”

Like other university-themed aircraft operated for Alaska Airlines by its sister carrier, Horizon Air, the Nanook and Seawolf planes will be painted at no cost to the university and will fly primarily between Anchorage and Fairbanks and Anchorage and Kodiak when the carrier introduces the 76-seat DHC-8-402 (Q400) to the state of Alaska on March 3, 2014. The UAF and UAA planes will be painted and unveiled in February next year.

The UAF and UAA planes will be the 10th and 11th university-themed aircraft flown by Horizon Air since 2008. Other paint themes represent the universities of Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington, as well as Boise State, Montana State, Oregon State, San Diego State and Washington State. Alaska Airlines recently unveiled the “Spirit of Education”  (see below). The specially-themed Boeing 737-900 ER was dedicated to the students and staff of Raisbeck Aviation High School located in Tukwila, Washington.

Above Images: The University of Alaska Anchorage (top-green tail) and University of Alaska Fairbanks (second from top-blue tail) colors will be featured on two university-themed Q400 aircraft. (PRNewsFoto/Alaska Airlines)

Alaska Airlines: 

Horizon Air: 

Alaska Horizon-Horizon Air: 

Bottom Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-990 ER N403AS (msn 41730) with the special “Supporting Education Helping Dreams Soar” markings for the Raisbeck Aviation High School departs from Los Angeles International Airport.