Tag Archives: msn 44080

Alaska Airlines enhances its global reach with expanded British Airways codeshare

Alaska Airlines announces today a further codeshare expansion with our long-time European partner British Airways, a fellow member of the oneworld alliance. This expansion includes 16 additional markets, connecting Alaska’s network beyond Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles to British Airways’ nonstop service from London Heathrow. Since joining oneworld earlier this year on March 31, Alaska has added 188 additional codeshare routes – an increase of 39%.

As a oneworld member, Alaska has implemented new partnerships with member airlines Qatar Airways and Iberia Airlines, and expanded cooperation with existing oneworld partners American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Finnair. These six oneworld airlines currently offer 16 daily international flights to Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles – enabling seamless connectivity to Alaska’s comprehensive network up and down the West Coast.

With oneworld and our additional airline partners, Alaska guests can fly to as many as 1,000 destinations around the world. Flyers can also earn and redeem miles with our highly-acclaimed Mileage Plan program to fly on more than 20 oneworld and partner airlines worldwide.

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Top Copyright Photo: Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX 9 N915AK (msn 44080) (Seattle Kraken) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 955695.

Alaska Airlines aircraft slide show:

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Photo: Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX 9 N915AK (msn 44080) (Seattle Kraken) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 955694.

Copyright Photo: Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX 9 N915AK (msn 44080) (Seattle Kraken) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 955694.

Alaska to grow its fleet by 30 aircraft, will add Belize City

Alaska Airlines has made this announcement:

With recovery on the horizon, Alaska Airlines is taking advantage of strategic opportunities by adding 30 mainline and regional aircraft to fulfill capacity needs in the years ahead. And as more travelers search for additional leisure getaways, Alaska will begin flying to Belize City, Belize.

Growing the Alaska Air Group fleet

Alaska expects domestic travel to return to pre-COVID levels by the summer of 2022, which will require more aircraft across Air Group. To prime the airline for growth, Alaska is taking the following actions:

Adding 17 new Embraer 175 jets to the regional fleet in 2022 and 2023 – nine to be operated by Horizon Air and eight by SkyWest.
Exercising options for 13 Boeing 737-9 MAX deliveries in 2023 and 2024.

Above Copyright Photo: Alaska Horizon (Horizon Air) Embraer ERJ 170-200LR (ERJ 175) N651QX (msn 17000812) (Honoring those who serve) PAE (Nick Dean). Image: 947748.

The 17 regional aircraft additions grow Air Group’s regional fleet to 111 planes: 71 at Horizon and 40 with SkyWest. Horizon will receive its nine additional E175s in the next two years: five scheduled for delivery in 2022 and four in 2023. This is in addition to three existing firm E175 orders to be operated by Horizon. All eight SkyWest aircraft will enter service for Alaska in 2022.

Photo: Alaska Airlines. In order to fly the 737-9, pilots are required to take eight hours of flight simulator and computer-based training that focus on the operation of the MAX. The pilot training program for the MAX is more extensive than what’s required by the FAA.

Alaska announced a restructured agreement with Boeing in December 2020 to acquire 68 737-9 MAX aircraft between 2021 to 2024, with options for another 52 deliveries between 2023 and 2026. The airline will accept the first 13 options over two years: nine in 2023 and four in 2024.

Alaska adds Belize to its international destinations

Alaska also announced today new nonstop service to Belize City, Belize, in Central America from the West Coast. Belize will be the fourth country Alaska flies to from its West Coast hubs, joining Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica.

You better BELIZE it! We're launching new service to Belize later this year. To celebrate, we're sending you & a friend to this paradise. ✈️ 🌴 Reply w/ hashtag #BelizePlease, tag a friend & tell us why Belize is on YOUR bucket list by 11:59pm PT on 5/14. https://t.co/LmWUYINCX7 pic.twitter.com/UMhpVm8zg6

— Alaska Airlines (@AlaskaAir) May 12, 2021

Routes and schedules to Belize will be announced when ticket sales begin in early June.

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Top Copyright Photo: Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX 9 N915AK (msn 44080) PAE (Nick Dean). Image: 947423.

Alaska Airlines aircraft slide show:

Alaska Airlines inaugurates Boeing 737-9 MAX service

Alaska Airlines on March 1, 2021 inaugurated Boeing 737-9 MAX 9 into revenue service from the Seattle/Tacoma hub to San Diego.

Besides this route, Alaska Airlines will initially operate the new 737-9 MAX 9 between Seattle/Tacoma and Los Angeles.

Alaska’s second 737-9 MAX is expected to start service later in March.

Alaska Airlines commented on its plans to inaugurate the new type:

Teams from across various divisions at Alaska will now follow a strict readiness timeline that guides the actions that must be taken before the start of passenger flights. The process – involving rigorous rounds of test flying, verifying and specific preparations – will take five weeks:

Maintenance technicians will undergo training to become even more acquainted with the new aircraft. They will receive at least 40 hours of “differences training,” which distinguishes the variations between the new MAX and the airline’s existing 737 NG fleet. Certain technicians will receive up to 40 additional hours of specialized training focused on the plane’s engines and avionics systems.
Alaska’s pilots will put the 737-9 through its paces, flying it more than 50 flight hours and roughly 19,000 miles around the country, including to Alaska and Hawaii. These “proving flights” are conducted to confirm our safety assessments and those of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and to ensure a full understanding of the plane’s capabilities in different climates and terrain.
Our pilots will receive eight hours of MAX-specific, computer-based training prior to flying the aircraft over the course of two days, which includes at least two hours of training in Alaska’s own certified, state-of-the-art MAX flight simulator. That’s where they fly several maneuvers specific to the aircraft and better understand the improvements that have been made to the plane.

Alaska announced a restructured order agreement with Boeing in December 2020 to receive a total of 68 737-9 MAX aircraft in the next four years, with options for an additional 52 planes. The airline is scheduled to receive 13 planes this year; 30 in 2022; 13 in 2023; and 12 in 2024. The agreement incorporates Alaska’s announcement last November to lease 13 737-9 aircraft as part of a separate transaction.

These 68 aircraft will largely replace Alaska’s Airbus fleet.

Above Copyright Photo: Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX 9 N915AK (msn 44080) PAE (Nick Dean). Image: 947423.

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