Tag Archives: 737-900ER

Okay Airways (OKAir) orders six Boeing 737 MAX 8s and four 737-800s, will also operate the 737-900ER

Boeing (Chicago and Seattle) and Okay Airways (stylized as OKAir) (Tianjin) announced an order today for six 737 MAX 8s and four Next-Generation 737-800s, valued at $980 million at current list prices.

Okay Airways, the first privately owned airline in China, also announced it will convert five 737-800s from a previous order into 737-900 ERs (Extended Range). With today’s conversion announcement, Okay Airways will be the first airline in China to operate the 737-900 ER and has eight of the airplanes on order.

Okay Airways is headquartered in Beijing with its main hub at Tianjin Binhai International Airport. Its jetliner fleet includes 12 Boeing 737-800s and one Boeing 737-300 Freighter, which serves 40 domestic destinations.

Image: Boeing.

OKAir:

United Airlines announces changes to its MileagePlus program

United Airlines (Chicago) today announced that the company will make changes to its MileagePlus program in 2015. Members will earn award miles based on their ticket price rather than distance flown.

Beginning March 1, 2015, members will earn award miles based on the price of their ticket – specifically the base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges – and their MileagePlus status. Members will earn five miles for every dollar spent, while those with MileagePlus Premier status will earn the following on their base fare and carrier surcharges:

Status level on day of departure on or after March 1, 2015:

The new earning structure will apply to MileagePlus members worldwide for most tickets for travel on United and United Express flights, and most United-issued tickets for flights on the company’s airline partners – tickets with numbers that begin with “016.” Members may earn up to 75,000 award miles per ticket.

In addition, next year United plans to offer members new opportunities to use their award miles, including for single-flight purchases of extra-legroom United Economy Plus seats and to purchase Economy Plus and checked-baggage subscriptions.

Tickets not issued by United for MileagePlus partner airline flights departing on or after March 1 will still earn award miles based on distance flown and purchased fare class.

The new earning structure will not affect the way members qualify for Premier status in 2015, and MileagePlus credit card members will still earn even more miles when they use their cards to purchase United tickets.

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-924 ER N77430 (msn 37098) prepares to land at the Washington Dulles hub.

United Airlines (current):

Alaska Airlines fights back to hold its Seattle/Tacoma market share

Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) is fighting back trying to hold on to its market share in its home Seattle/Tacoma market. The airline issued this statement today:

Alaska Airlines, which provides travelers with more nonstop flights from Seattle/Tacoma than any other carrier, will increase its departures for its hometown customers by 11 percent next spring. Alaska’s daily departures out of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will increase from 253 to 280, giving travelers more options to the places they want to fly most.

“Alaska Airlines has been flying out of Seattle for more than half a century and we’re proud to offer our customers nearly four times the departures to more destinations than any other airline,” said Joe Sprague, senior vice president of communications and external relations. “With convenient nonstop service to 79 destinations from Seattle/Tacoma, our customers can fly to 80 percent of the places they want to go and this increases to 99 percent when combining Alaska’s flights and those of our partner airlines.”

Alaska Airlines will add 27 new roundtrips, including one daily between Seattle/Tacoma and Boise, Idaho, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Fairbanks, Alaska, and Palm Springs and Sacramento, California. The airline will also add two more daily roundtrips between Seattle/Tacoma and Los Angeles, and three more roundtrip shuttle flights between Seattle/Tacoma and Portland, Oregon. A Boeing 737 will replace a Bombardier Q400 on two of the 16 daily roundtrip flights between Seattle/Tacoma and Spokane, Washington, increasing the number of seats on Alaska between the state’s largest two cities from 3,200 to 3,350 a day.

The 11 percent increase in Seattle/Tacoma departures also includes previously announced service to six new destinations, including Albuquerque, New Mexico, Baltimore, Detroit, New Orleans, Tampa, Florida, and Cancún, Mexico.

Summary of new daily Seattle/Tacoma service:

Seattle – New Orleans: starting June 12

Seattle – Tampa: starting June 20

Seattle – Baltimore: starting September 2

Seattle – Detroit: starting September 4

Seattle – Albuquerque: starting September 18

Seattle – Cancún: starting November 6 pending governmental approval
Alaska Airlines expects the new flying will add approximately 100 jobs to the region, in addition to the 6,300 Alaska and Horizon Air employees who currently work in the Puget Sound area.

Copyright Photo: Steve Bailey/AirlinersGallery.com. The all-Boeing relationship at Alaska Airlines should not be overlooked as the Alaska-Delta “battle of Seattle” escalates for market share in the home of Boeing. The pictured brand new Boeing 737-990 ER N467AS (msn 36362) was handed over to hometown Alaska Airlines on May 22, 2014.

Alaska Airlines:

Boeing delivers the 8,000th 737 to United Airlines

Boeing (Chicago and Seattle) yesterday (April 16) delivered the 8,000th 737 to come off the production line to United Airlines (Chicago) as N68821, marking another important milestone for the world’s best-selling airplane. The airplane, a Next-Generation 737-900 ER (Extended Range), features a special logo.

The 737 is the first commercial airplane in history to reach this delivery milestone. The program has a strong backlog with more than 3,700 airplanes on order, including 1,934 orders for the new 737 MAX.

United was the first airline to order and take delivery of the 737-200. Since 1965, United has taken delivery of more than 550 737s and operated nearly every model.

Copyright Photo: Joe G. Walker/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-924 ER N68821 (msn 43535) lands at Boeing Field in Seattle. N68821 has small “8000th 737” gray titles by the main cabin door.

United Airlines (current):

United Airlines honors its top 100 employees with a special airplane

United Airlines (Chicago) Boeing 737-900 ER (N69818) took to the skies on Friday (March 28) to honor the company’s top 100 employees. The new Boeing 737-900 ER features the company’s “United 100” logo on the exterior. The airline designed the United 100 program to recognize 100 employees nominated and selected by their co-workers for exemplary performance or achievements that support the cornerstones of the company’s business plan. Being honored as a United 100 recipient is the company’s highest honor for employee recognition.

The United 100 plane also features a plaque inscribed with the winners’ names on a wall inside. The airline plans to update the plaque with the annual winners’ names each year.

United this week honored these top employees at its second annual “United 100” celebration in downtown Chicago. At the luncheon, Smisek surprised the winners with an announcement that the newest aircraft in the company’s fleet would be dedicated in their honor.

The winners also each received a crystal award and 100,000 MileagePlus miles. The 100 winners, who represent every work group in the company, and their guests came from throughout the United States as well as nine international locations for the event, where United’s senior leadership congratulated and recognized them for their great efforts to go above and beyond for customers, co-workers and the company.

In 2013, 5,612 employees were nominated for United 100. The 100 annual winners are selected by their divisions from among the approximately 400 quarterly winners, who are chosen by divisions. All of United’s more than 85,000 employees are eligible for the program.

Additionally, United Airlines is expanding its extensive trans-Pacific network this weekend, connecting its San Francisco hub with Taipei, Taiwan, beginning today (March 29), and launching a second daily flight between Houston and Tokyo tomorrow (March 30).

United will host inaugural gate events in both San Francisco and Houston, marking the importance of these flights to tourism and economic development.

United will operate both services with Boeing 777-200 aircraft. The aircraft flying San Francisco-Taipei will offer 269 seats – eight in United Global First, 40 in United BusinessFirst and 221 in United Economy, including 113 extra-legroom United Economy Plus seats.

The aircraft flying Houston-Tokyo will offer 267 seats – 50 in United BusinessFirst and 217 in United Economy, including 72 United Economy Plus seats.

In United Global First and United BusinessFirst, United offers customers seats that recline into fully flat beds, personal on-demand entertainment, in-seat power and USB ports, enabling travelers to rest or to be productive in-flight. Customers in United Economy also enjoy personal, on-demand entertainment at every seat and in-seat power.

United is the only U.S. airline to offer the comfort of flat-bed seats in its premium cabins on every long-haul, international flight from the continental United States. The airline also offers more extra-legroom economy seating than any U.S. airline.

These Taipei and Tokyo additions come as United plans to introduce three-times-weekly Boeing 787 service June 9 between San Francisco and Chengdu, China, pending government approval. This nonstop service would be the first by a U.S. airline from the United States to mainland China, beyond Beijing and Shanghai. The company also plans to offer, subject to government approval, nonstop Boeing 787 service between Los Angeles and Melbourne, Australia, six times weekly beginning on October 26.

With these changes, United also operated its last scheduled Boeing 747-400 from Los Angeles last night (March 28) to Sydney. The type may revisit LAX again as a substitution.

Top Copyright Photos: United Airlines.

United Airlines (current):

Bottom Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 747-422 N107UA (msn 26900) approaches the runway at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

United Airlines banks 4Q net income of $298 million and $1.08 billion in 2013

United Airlines (Chicago) today reported full-year 2013 net income of $1.084 billion, an increase of 84 percent year-over-year, or $2.84 per diluted share, excluding $513 million of special charges. Including special charges, UAL reported full-year 2013 net income of $571 million, or $1.53 per diluted share. UAL reported fourth-quarter 2013 net income of $298 million, or $0.78 per diluted share, excluding $158 million of special charges. Including special charges, UAL reported fourth-quarter 2013 net income of $140 million, or$0.37 per diluted share.

UAL earned a 10.0 percent return on invested capital in 2013.
UAL generated $38.3 billion of revenue in 2013, an increase of 3.0 percent year-over-year.
United’s consolidated passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM) increased 3.1 percent in 2013 compared to 2012.
Full-year 2013 consolidated unit costs (CASM), holding fuel rate and profit sharing constant and excluding special charges and third-party business expense, increased 3.8 percent year-over-year on a consolidated capacity reduction of 1.4 percent. Full-year 2013 consolidated CASM increased 1.2 percent year-over-year.
UAL ended 2013 with $6.1 billion in unrestricted liquidity.
Employees earned $190 million in profit sharing for full-year 2013, which will be distributed on Feb. 14.
For the 10th consecutive year, readers of Global Traveler magazine voted United’s MileagePlus program the Best Frequent-Flyer program.

“We significantly improved our operations, customer service and financial results in 2013 thanks to the outstanding work of the United team,” said Jeff Smisek, UAL’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. “Our goals for 2014 are to provide even more reliable operations, great customer service and materially better financial performance.”

Fourth-Quarter Revenue and Capacity

For the fourth quarter of 2013, total revenue was $9.3 billion, an increase of 7.2 percent year-over-year. Fourth-quarter consolidated passenger revenue increased 5.9 percent to $8.0 billion, compared to the same period in 2012. Other revenue in the fourth quarter increased 22.2 percent year-over-year to $1.1 billion, in large part due to an agreement to sell jet fuel to a third party. Ancillary revenue per passenger in the fourth quarter increased 15 percent year-over-year to nearly $21 per passenger. Fourth-quarter cargo revenue decreased 9.5 percent versus the fourth quarter of 2012 to $220 million.

Consolidated revenue passenger miles (RPMs) increased 2.7 percent on a consolidated capacity (available seat miles) increase of 2.6 percent year-over-year for the fourth quarter, resulting in a fourth-quarter consolidated load factor of 82.4 percent.

Fourth-quarter 2013 consolidated PRASM increased 3.2 percent compared to the same period in 2012. Consolidated yield for the fourth quarter of 2013 increased 3.0 percent year-over-year.

“Our employees delivered improved operational performance in 2013, and our customer satisfaction scores increased throughout the year,” said Jim Compton, UAL’s vice chairman and chief revenue officer. “We are growing our revenue by building on the strengths of our leading route network and leveraging the investments we’ve made in our fleet, product and technology.”

Passenger revenue for the fourth quarter of 2013 and period-to-period comparisons of related statistics for UAL’s mainline and regional operations are as follows:

	4Q 2013 Pax Revenue (m)	Pax Revenue vs.4Q 2012	PRASM vs. 4Q 2012	Yield vs. 4Q 2012	ASM vs. 4Q 2012

Domestic	$3,160	7.0%	4.5%	3.8%	2.5%

Atlantic	1,299	7.0%	2.2%	2.0%	4.7%
Pacific	1,124	(2.8%)	(5.0%)	(1.6%)	2.4%
Latin America	622	5.4%	7.0%	5.7%	(1.5%)
International	3,045	2.9%	0.2%	1.3%	2.6%

Mainline	6,205	4.9%	2.3%	2.5%	2.6%
Regional	1,772	9.4%	6.2%	3.8%	3.0%

Consolidated	$7,977	5.9%	3.2%	3.0%	2.6%

Fourth-Quarter Costs

Total operating expenses decreased $73 million, or 0.8 percent, in the fourth quarter versus the same period in 2012. Excluding special charges, fourth-quarter total operating expenses increased $201 million, or 2.3 percent, year-over-year.

Fourth-quarter consolidated CASM decreased 3.3 percent year-over-year. Fourth-quarter consolidated CASM, excluding special charges and third-party business expense, decreased 1.1 percent compared to fourth quarter 2012. Third-party business expense was $198 million in the fourth quarter of 2013.

In the fourth quarter, consolidated CASM, excluding special charges and third-party business expense and holding fuel rate and profit sharing constant, increased 0.1 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2012.

“We closed out 2013 on a strong note with solid earnings improvement,” said John Rainey, UAL’s executive vice president and chief financial officer. “We are eager to build upon the groundwork laid last year by delivering even better financial results in 2014 and continuing to make significant improvements in our capital structure.”

Liquidity, Cash Flow and Return on Invested Capital

UAL ended the year with $6.1 billion in unrestricted liquidity, including $1 billion of undrawn commitments under a revolving credit facility. During the fourth quarter, the company had gross capital expenditures of $760 million. The company made debt and capital lease principal payments of $256 million in the fourth quarter and $2.3 billion for the full year. The company’s return on invested capital for 2013 was 10.0 percent.

2013 Accomplishments

Operations, Employees and Customer Service

For the fourth quarter, United recorded a mainline on-time arrival rate (domestic and international) of 80.6 percent. For the full year, United recorded a mainline on-time arrival rate of 79.3 percent. The on-time arrival rate is based on flights arriving within 14 minutes of scheduled arrival time. United employees earned cash incentive payments for on-time performance totaling $54 million during 2013.
United’s nearly 28,000 fleet service, passenger service and storekeeper employees ratified joint collective bargaining agreements the company reached with the International Association of Machinists.
United completed the first phase of its new customer service training for all flight attendants, airport agents and reservation agents worldwide.
More than 64,000 United Airlines employees debuted newly designed uniforms.

Finance, Network and Fleet

The company outlined its long-term plans to reduce costs, increase revenue and enhance profitability while delivering competitive reliability and excellent customer service. United outlined a multi-year $2 billion annual cost-savings program and set a goal to grow its ancillary revenue at least $700 million annually by 2017.
United replaced its $1.2 billion term loan due 2014 with a new $900 million term loan due 2019, and reduced the principal balance by $300 million in the process. Simultaneously, United entered into a new $1.0 billionrevolving credit facility due 2018 that replaced the company’s $500 million undrawn revolving credit facility due 2015, bolstering the company’s unrestricted liquidity position.
United raised $929 million of debt financing through enhanced equipment trust certificates at an average interest rate of approximately 4.5 percent. The debt proceeds are being used to finance the acquisition of three new Boeing 787-8 and 18 new Boeing 737-900 ER aircraft.
United issued two tranches of unsecured debt in 2013: $300 million of senior unsecured notes due 2018 at an interest rate of 6.375 percent and $300 million of senior unsecured notes due 2020 at an interest rate of 6 percent.
The company expanded its industry-leading global route network, launching nonstop flights to numerous international destinations including Guatemala City; Nassau, Bahamas; Paris; San Jose, Costa Rica; Shannon, Ireland; St. Lucia; Tokyo; and Edmonton, Alberta, Fort McMurray, Alberta, and Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. United also announced new nonstop international flights beginning in 2014 to Chengdu, China; Edinburgh, Scotland; Madrid; Munich; Taipei, Taiwan; and Tokyo. The company started 19 new domestic routes in 2013, including the company’s first service to Dickinson, N.D.; Fayetteville, N.C.; Santa Fe, N.M. and Sun Valley, Idaho. United also announced 10 new domestic markets for 2014 including the company’s first service to Atlantic City, N.J.; Elmira, N.Y.; Pueblo, Colo.; and Topeka, Kan.
The company took delivery of two new Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners in 2013, bringing its total Dreamliner fleet to eight aircraft. The company also took delivery of 24 new Boeing 737-900ERs in 2013. United exited from scheduled service 23 Boeing 757-200s and the last of its Boeing 737-500s and Boeing 767-200s.
The company increased its Dreamliner order to 65 aircraft with an order for the Boeing 787-10. The company also converted its existing order for 25 Airbus A350-900s into larger A350-1000s and added an additional 10 aircraft to the order, totaling 35 aircraft. These new aircraft will enable United to expand its network, further modernize its international widebody fleet by replacing older, less efficient aircraft to reduce fuel and operating costs, and enhance the customer experience.
United announced it will introduce 70 new 76-seat Embraer 175 aircraft into the United Express fleet beginning in 2014. These aircraft will enhance the customer experience, improve fuel efficiency and provide additional ancillary revenue opportunities.

Product, Loyalty Program and Facilities

United debuted its new brand campaign, featuring its iconic “Fly the Friendly Skies” tagline, reinterpreted for today’s travelers. The new campaign focuses on United’s commitment to being “user-friendly,” which means providing customers great service, easy-to-use technology and product enhancements.
The company continued outfitting aircraft with satellite Wi-Fi across its entire mainline fleet. The airline now offers Wi-Fi on nearly 170 aircraft and is outfitting one aircraft per day with satellite Wi-Fi.
United completed an extensive retrofit of 15 Boeing 757-200s that fly its p.s. (Premium Service) routes between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and both San Francisco and Los Angeles, making it the first and only airline to offer premium-cabin, flat-bed seats on every scheduled transcontinental flight.
United reached a milestone of offering flat-bed seats in its premium cabins on every scheduled long-haul international flight. The airline offers more flat-bed premium cabin seats and more extra-legroom, economy-class seating than any airline in North America.
The company launched an all-new United mobile app and began rolling out new, more intuitive kiosk technology at the airport, offering customers innovative new features and better functionality while also providing United more opportunity to sell its products effectively.
United launched subscription options that offer customers access to Economy Plus seating or pre-paid checked baggage charges for a year. The company relaunched the Premier Access program offering customers access to expedited check-in, security checkpoint lanes and priority boarding, as well as a new baggage delivery option.
In 2013, Business Traveler magazine awarded United Best Airline for North American Travel and for the 10th consecutive year, readers of Global Traveler magazine voted United’s MileagePlus program the Best Frequent-Flyer program. United also has the most saver-style award-seat availability among the largest U.S. global airlines according to the 2013 Switchfly Reward Seat Availability Survey.
United opened its new Terminal B south concourse, a 225,000-square-foot facility dedicated to United Express regional flights at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The airline signed a 20-year lease extension at Newark Liberty, committing to invest an additional $150 million in facility upgrades. United in 2013 launched a new in-line checked baggage inspection system in Terminal C at Newark Liberty that will double the system’s capacity while improving safety and reliability. The company also completed construction on a new widebody aircraft maintenance hangar at Washington Dulles International Airport, and neared completion of a widebody hangar at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. United is steadily adding new Boeing 737-900 ERs. Boeing 737-924 ER N57439 (msn 33534) climbs gracefully at Los Angeles.

United Airlines (current):

United Airlines (historic):

Boeing delivers the 100th Next-Generation 737 to the Lion Group

Boeing (Chicago) and the Lion Group (Lion Air) (Jakarta), Indonesia’s largest airline group, yesterday (November 4) commemorated the delivery of the carrier’s 100th Next-Generation 737 at a special event.

The Lion Group’s 100th airplane, the pictured Lion Air 737-9GP ER (Extended Range) PK-LOF (msn 38741) features a special “100th Boeing Next-Generation 737 – Thank You Indonesia” livery commemorating the delivery.

Lion Air, which was established in 1999, was also the launch customer for the 737-900 ER. Lion Air mainline currently operates 67 737-900 ERs and 19 737-800s. The group’s other Next-Generation 737s are allocated to its full-service carrier in Indonesia, Batik Air, and to its overseas affiliates: Malindo Air in Malaysia and Thai Lion Air, a new carrier based in Bangkok.

All of the Lion Group’s new 737 deliveries feature the Boeing Sky Interior, the 787 Dreamliner inspired cabin.

Lion mainline and subsidiary Wings Air serve 76 destinations in Indonesia, giving the group the largest domestic network in Indonesia. Lion Air mainline has 580 flights a day and Wings Air has 180 flights per day.

Top Copyright Photo: The Boeing Company. Bottom Copyright Photo: Joe G. Walker/AirlinersGallery.com.

Lion Air:

El Al finalizes its order for two more Boeing 737-900 ERs

El Al Israel Airlines (Tel Aviv) and Boeing (Chicago) have finalized an order for two additional Next-Generation 737-900 ER (Extended Range) airplanes. The order comes just two weeks after the Israeli flag-carrier took delivery of its first 737-900 ER. This order brings the total number of 737-900 ERs ordered by El Al to eight.

The order was finalized at a special event hosted by El Al at the carrier’s base at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport to celebrate the recent arrival of El Al’s first 737-900 ER. The Boeing 737-900 ER has the highest capacity and lowest seat-mile cost of Boeing’s single-aisle family and will perfectly complement EL AL’s existing fleet of Next-Generation 737-700s and 737-800s.

El Al’s 737-900 ERs will also feature the innovative Boeing Sky Interior, enabling the airline to differentiate itself from its competitors by offering passengers a more comfortable travel experience. The 737 Boeing Sky Interior features modern sculpted sidewalls and window reveals, LED lighting to enhance the sense of spaciousness and larger pivoting overhead stowage bins.

Copyright Photo: Joe G. Walker. Brand new Boeing 737-958 ER 4X-EHA (msn 41552) was delivered to El Al on October 9, 2013.

El Al:

Thai Lion Air takes delivery of its first Boeing 737-900 ER

Thai Lion Air (Bangkok-Don Mueang) is the new low-cost subsidiary of Lion Air of Indonesia. Lion Air has partnered with local Thai interests and is planning to launch operations later this year.

Copyright Photo: Joe G. Walker/AirlinersGallery.com. The pictured Boeing 737-9GP ER N5515R (msn 38738) with gray “Thai” titles before the main Lion titles, became HS-LTI when it was handed over on October 18, 2013.

Alaska Airlines dedicates a “Spirit of Education” Boeing 737-900 ER to the nation’s first college preparatory, aviation-themed high school

Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) has issued this press release:

Local business and government leaders joined students, educators and alumni from Raisbeck Aviation High School onboard a specially themed Alaska Airlines jet on October 17 for the grand opening of the new facility for the nation’s first public, college preparatory, aviation-themed high school. The “Spirit of Education,” the Boeing 737-990 ER N403AS (msn 41730), is dedicated to the students and staff of Raisbeck Aviation High School and will fly for six months around the carrier’s route network.

Among the passengers onboard Flight AS 9401 was senior Austin Spores of Redmond, Washington, who commutes two hours to school every day. Spores, who is getting his private pilot’s license, plans to pursue a career as a commercial pilot.

Like all students who choose to attend RAHS instead of a traditional secondary school, Spores had a strong interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Last summer, he interned as a dispatcher for Seattle-based Kenmore Air and hopes to study aeronautics at the University of North Dakota or Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University after graduating next June.

“I’ve been surrounded by aviation my entire life, so being in an aviation-themed environment like Raisbeck Aviation High School is a dream come true,” Spores said.

Alaska Airlines employees have mentored and volunteered with students interested in commercial aviation since the school’s inception in 2004. As a founding sponsor, the airline pledged $1.5 million in a public/private partnership to build the $44.5 million state-of-the-art school designed to educate the next generation of scientists, engineers, and other aviation and aerospace-focused professionals.

“Investing in Raisbeck Aviation High School is an investment in the youth of our community,” said Brad Tilden, Alaska Airlines’ president and CEO. “Students attending this STEM school are poised to bring much-needed innovation to our industry, which could further improve the safety, efficiency and environmental performance of commercial aviation.” Raisbeck Aviation High School, part of Highline Public Schools, is located on the grounds of the Museum of Flight near Boeing Field to encourage partnerships with aviation and aerospace leaders and ensure relevance in the instructional program.

“Having this school on the grounds of the Museum of Flight, so close to more than 200 aviation industry businesses like Boeing and Alaska Airlines, gives our students something truly special — an unparalleled chance to be simultaneously immersed in learning and industry,” said Reba Gilman, Raisbeck Aviation High School CEO and principal.

Highlights of Raisbeck Aviation High School:

400 students from 27 school districts travel by car, train, boat/ferry or bus to attend the public school, located in Tukwila, Wash.
Students of RAHS consistently rank in the top 5 percent in Washington state assessments. The school’s performance ranks 252^nd out of 22,000 nationwide high schools according to US News & World Report. About three-quarters of RAHS students intend to pursue STEM-related education at universities including Stanford, Harvard, Cornell and MIT.
The school is designed for project-based instructional programs, with labs that enable students to build robots, rockets, model airplanes and even a real airplane.
Rather than a traditional library, the school provides classroom libraries and access to the Museum of Flight’s extensive archives and library. A computer is provided to each student.
During the summer, the school will be used by the museum for science camps — assuring year-round utilization of the building as well as introducing younger children to Raisbeck Aviation High School.
All RAHS students are connected with a mentor in an aviation/aerospace-related field. Students are also placed in internships in high-demand STEM workplaces such as Boeing, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Port of Seattle.

Supporting education in its home state is a top priority for Alaska Airlines. Since 2007, the carrier has contributed more than $6.5 million in cash and in-kind contributions to 303 Washington educational institutions and organizations. Recent gifts include $150,000 to Western Washington University’s Institute for Energy Studies, $75,000 to the Highline Community College Foundation for student scholarships, $700,000 to the Independent Colleges of Washington and $1.5 million to the University of Washington.

Alaska Airlines: