Category Archives: Alaska Horizon

Alaska launches four new routes today

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Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) today began flying four new routes that enhance its West Coast network. The new routes are between: Portland, Oregon, and Austin, Texas; Eugene, Oregon, and San Jose, California; Los Angeles and Monterey, California; and Boise, Idaho and Reno, Nevada.

All flights, except the Portland-Austin route, will be operated by Alaska’s sister carrier Horizon Air, using a 76-seat Bombardier Q400 aircraft.

The Portland-Austin flights will be operated for Alaska by SkyWest Airlines, using new 76-seat Embraer 175 jets. The E175 jet features 12 seats in first class and 64 in coach, and with cabin dimensions on par with a 737.

Copyright Photo: Tony Storck/AirlinersGallery.com. Alaska SkyWest (SkyWest Airlines) Embraer ERJ 170-200LR (ERJ 175) N171SY (msn 17000485)

Alaska Horizon aircraft slide show:

Alaska SkyWest aircraft slide show:

Horizon Air to fly from Orange County to Santa Rosa and Reno

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Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) will add new service from Orange County, California to Santa Rosa/Sonoma County, California and Reno/Lake Tahoe, Nevada starting on March 16, 2016.

The flights will be operated by Horizon Air using 76-seat Q400 aircraft.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) N434MK (msn 4227) is named for founder Milton G. Kuolt II.

Alaska Horizon aircraft slide show: https://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/frame/slideshow?key=tZs3KJ&autoStart=1&captions=1&navigation=1&playButton=1&speed=3&transition=fade&transitionSpeed=2“>CLICK HERE

Alaska Air Group reports 3Q GAAP net income of $274 million

Alaska Air Group, Inc., (Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air) (Seattle/Tacoma) today reported third quarter 2015 GAAP net income of $274 million, or $2.14 per diluted share, compared to $198 million, or $1.45 per diluted share in the third quarter of 2014. Excluding the impact of mark-to-market fuel hedge adjustments of $5 million ($3 million after tax, or $0.02 per diluted share), the company reported record adjusted net income of $277 million, or $2.16 per diluted share, compared to adjusted net income of $200 million, or $1.47 per diluted share in 2014.

“This was the busiest summer in our 83 year history and represents our highest quarterly profit ever,” said CEO Brad Tilden. “I want to thank our employees who are building a fundamentally strong business and our customers for their incredible loyalty and support.”

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Alaska Airlines is gradually phasing out its aging Boeing 737-400s. The type is expected to be gone by the end of 2017. Boeing 737-4Q8 N755AS (msn 25096) arrives at Los Angeles International Airport.

Alaska Airlines aircraft slide show:

Alaska Horizon aircraft slide show:

Alaska Air Group reports a record second quarter

Alaska Air Group (Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air) (Seattle/Tacoma) today reported a record second quarter GAAP net profit of $234 million.

The group issued this report:

Alaska Air Group, Inc., today reported second quarter 2015 GAAP net income of $234 million, or $1.79 per diluted share, compared to $165 million, or $1.19 per diluted share in the second quarter of 2014. Excluding the impact of mark-to-market fuel hedge adjustments of $6 million ($4 million after tax, or $0.03 per diluted share), the company reported record adjusted net income of $230 million, or $1.76 per diluted share, compared to adjusted net income of $157 million, or $1.13 per diluted share, in 2014.

“We’re pleased to report our 25th consecutive quarterly profit and our best quarterly result ever,” said CEO Brad Tilden. “I want to thank our employees for their hard work and for always putting our customers first. We are focused on running a strong and balanced company that will produce the right outcomes for all of the stakeholders who depend on us, not just this quarter but over the long-term.”

Financial Highlights:

Reported record second quarter net income, excluding special items, of $230 million, a 46% increase over the second quarter of 2014.
Reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.76 per diluted share, a 56% increase over the second quarter of 2014 and ahead of First Call analyst consensus estimate of $1.73 per share.
Earned net income for the second quarter under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) of $234 million or $1.79 per diluted share, compared to net income of $165 million, or $1.19 per diluted share in 2014.
Recorded $58 million of employee incentive pay in recognition of Air Group employees’ progress on meeting customer service, safety, operational and financial goals.
Generated record adjusted pretax margin in the second quarter of 25.7% compared to 18.3% in 2014.
Generated 20.9% adjusted pretax margin for the trailing 12-month period ended June 30, 2015, compared to 14.9% for the same period in the prior year.
Achieved trailing 12-month after-tax return on invested capital of 22.0% compared to 16.1% in the 12-month period ended June 30, 2014.
Repurchased 2.5 million shares of common stock for $160 million in the second quarter of 2015, and 4.1 million shares of common stock for $262 million during the first six months of 2015, representing 3.1% of the total shares outstanding at the beginning of the year.
Paid a $0.20 per-share quarterly cash dividend on June 4, 2015, a 60% increase over the dividend paid in the second quarter of 2014.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Ken Petersen/AirlinersGallery.com. Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-990 ER N471AS (msn 41703) with APB Split Scimitar Winglets lands in Anchorage.

Alaska Airlines aircraft slide show:

Alaska Horizon aircraft slide show:

Alaska Airlines announces new regional flying from Los Angeles and Boise

Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) today announced two new routes from Los Angeles, and one new route from Boise, Idaho. New daily roundtrip service between Los Angeles and Monterey, California; and Boise, Idaho and Reno, Nevada begin November 5. A new seasonal flight between Los Angeles and Gunnison/Crested Butte will shuttle skiers and snowboarders from California to Colorado starting in December.

The flights will be operated by Alaska’s sister carrier Horizon Air (Alaska Horizon) (Seattle/Tacoma), using the pictured 76-seat Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) aircraft.

Alaska also announced today that it will upgauge its flights from Los Angeles to Loreto, Mexico, beginning November 1. The flights are currently operated daily, using 76-seat Bombardier Q400 aircraft. Beginning in November, they will be operated Thursday-Sunday using Boeing 737 jets, adding about 70 additional seats each week.

Copyright Photo: Ken Petersen/AirlinersGallery.com. Horizon Air, operating as Alaska Horizon, operates its Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) turboprops from its Seattle hub and now in Alaska. Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) N441QX (msn 4348) in the University of Alaska Nanooks (Fairbanks) departs from Ted Steven Anchorage International Airport (ANC).

Alaska Airlines aircraft slide show:

Alaska Horizon-Horizon Air aircraft slide show:

Alaska Airlines and WSU to team up on the use of wood residue biofuels

Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) just made this announcement:

Washington state’s hometown airline is teaming up with the Washington State University-led Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA) to advance the production and use of alternative jet fuel made from forest residuals, the tree limbs and branches that remain after a forest harvest.

As the airline partner for NARA, Alaska Airlines intends next year to fly a demonstration flight using 1,000 gallons of alternative biofuel being produced by the NARA team and its many partners. The planned flight signals a growing interest in the aviation industry for a viable alternative to conventional fossil fuel.

The project will use post-harvest forest residuals from the Pacific Northwest (above).

NARA’s focus is on developing alternative jet fuel derived from post-harvest forest residuals. Residual treetops and branches are often burned after timber harvest. By using these waste materials as the feedstock of a biojet fuel supply chain, NARA and its aviation industry partners, seek to reduce fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions as well as bolster sustainable economic-development potential in timber-based rural communities located throughout the Pacific Northwest.

NARA is a five-year project supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and is comprised of 22 member organizations from industry, academia and government laboratories. Its mission is to facilitate development of biojet and bioproduct industries in the Pacific Northwest using forest residuals that would otherwise become waste products. A key task of the project is to evaluate the economic, environmental and societal benefits and impacts associated with such developments.

In 2011 Alaska Airlines became the first U.S. airline to fly multiple commercial passenger flights using a biofuel refined from used cooking oil. The carrier flew 75 flights between Seattle and Washington, D.C. and Seattle and Portland. Alaska has set the ambitious goal of using a sustainable aviation biofuel blend on all flights departing one or more airports by 2020. Later this year, Alaska will fly the first ever commercial flight using an alcohol-to-jet fuel.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Horizon Air‘s Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) N401QX (msn 4031) in the Washington State University (WSU) cougars livery taxies at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac) hub.

Alaska Airlines aircraft slide show:

Alaska Horizon-Horizon Air aircraft slide show:

Alaska Airlines to add Portland-Austin and Eugene-San Jose flying this fall

Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) CEO Brad Tilden announced yesterday (June 1) during a keynote speech at the JumpStart Air Service Development conference that Alaska will add new flying between Portland, Oregon, and Austin, Texas, and Eugene, Oregon, and San Jose, California, beginning November 5.

“San Jose and Austin are two of our most requested cities from our customers in the Willamette Valley,” said John Kirby, Alaska’s vice president of capacity planning. “We’re excited to add the Live Music Capital of the World to our growing list of destinations from the Rose City, and our new flight to San Jose is our first-ever nonstop from Eugene to the Bay Area. These routes will also connect key tech markets in three states.”

The Portland-Austin flight will be operated for Alaska Airlines by SkyWest Airlines (St. George, Utah), using new 76-seat Embraer 175 jets. The E175 jet features 12 seats in first class and 64 in coach, and with cabin dimensions on par with a 737. Onboard amenities include Wi-Fi Internet access, streaming inflight entertainment and 110 volt power in every first class seat. Food and beverage will include hot meals and picnic packs for purchase, in addition to Northwest microbrews and wine.

The Eugene-San Jose flight will be operated by Alaska’s sister carrier Horizon Air (Alaska Horizon), using a 76-seat Bombardier Q400 aircraft. Customers flying on flights operated by Horizon can enjoy free soft drinks and Starbucks coffee, a la cart planeside baggage service, and complimentary Northwest wine and microbrews for passengers 21 years and older.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. As planned, the pictured Bombardier DHC-8-402 (marketed as the Q400) N441QX (msn 4348) with the special University of Alaska Nanooks livery, is now operating in Alaska.

Alaska Airlines aircraft slide show:

Alaska Horizon aircraft slide show:

Alaska SkyWest aircraft slide show:

Horizon Air to operate nonstop Seattle/Tacoma – Helena flights

Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) on August 23 is introducing Alaska Horizon (operated by subsidiary Horizon Air) Bombardier Q400 nonstop service from Seattle/Tacoma hub to Helena, Montana. The new route will operate on a daily basis according to Airline Route.

The airline currently serves Helena via a stop in Great Falls.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Alaska Horizon’s (Horizon Air) Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) N443QX (msn 4353) in the special UAA Seawolves – University of Alaska Anchorage college livery taxies to the runway at the Seattle-Tacoma (SeaTac) International Airport (SEA) hub.

Alaska Horizon aircraft slide show:

Alaska Air Group reports record first quarter results

Alaska Air Group, Inc., (Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air) (Seattle/Tacoma) today reported first quarter 2015 GAAP net income of $149 million, or $1.12 per diluted share, compared to $94 million, or $0.68 per diluted share in the first quarter of 2014. Excluding the impact of mark-to-market fuel hedge adjustments, the company reported record adjusted net income of $149 million, or $1.12 per diluted share, compared to adjusted net income of $89 million, or $0.64 per diluted share, in 2014.

“Our record first quarter results reflect lower fuel prices, but more importantly the tremendous loyalty of our customers in Seattle and across our system” said CEO Brad Tilden. “It is gratifying to see such strong growth and financial results given unprecedented competition. I want to thank our incredible employees who continue to rise to the challenge and deliver outstanding experiences to our customers.”

Financial Highlights:

Reported record first quarter net income, excluding special items, of $149 million – a 67% increase over the first quarter of 2014.

Reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.12 per diluted share, a 75% increase over the first quarter of 2014 and ahead of First Call analyst consensus estimate of $1.10 per share.

Earned net income for the first quarter under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) of $149 million or $1.12 per diluted share, compared to net income of $94 million, or $0.68 per diluted share in 2014.

Recorded $26 million of employee incentive pay in recognition of Air Group employees’ progress on meeting customer service, safety, operational and financial goals.

Increased fuel efficiency (as measured by seat-miles per gallon) by 2.5% compared to the first quarter of 2014, as part of our effort to be the airline leader in environmental stewardship.

Generated record adjusted pretax margin in the first quarter of 18.9% compared to 11.8% in 2014.

Generated 18.8% adjusted pretax margin for the trailing 12-month period ended March 31, 2015, compared to 13.6% for the same period in the prior year.

Achieved trailing 12-month after-tax return on invested capital of 20.1% compared to 14.8% in the 12-month period ended March 31, 2014.

Repurchased 1.6 million shares of common stock for $102 million in the first quarter of 2015, representing 1.2% of the total shares outstanding at the beginning of the year.

Paid a $0.20 per-share quarterly cash dividend on March 10, 2015, a 60% increase over the dividend declared in the first quarter of 2014.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Alaska Airlines’ Boeing 737-890 N535AS (msn 35200) with Split Scimitar Winglets climbs away from Los Angeles International Airport.

Alaska Airlines aircraft slide show:

Alaska Horizon aircraft slide show:

Horizon Air aircraft slide show:

Alaska Airlines to fly from Boise to Spokane

Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) will begin daily nonstop service between Boise, Idaho and Spokane, Washington, starting August 24, 2015.

With the addition of Spokane, Alaska Airlines now flies to eight destinations from Boise: Lewiston, Idaho, Portland, Oregon, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Jose, California, Seattle/Tacoma and Spokane.

The new flight, which is just under 70 minutes, will be operated by Horizon Air (Alaska Horizon) (Seattle/Tacoma) for Alaska Airlines using 76-seat Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) aircraft.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Alaska Horizon (Horizon Air) Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) N422QX (msn 4150) climbs away from the runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).

Alaska Airlines aircraft slide show:

Alaska Horizon aircraft slide show: