Top seven destinations for fall foliage

Autumn is near and people are getting ready for an explosion of color that will light up the country. However, if you talk to a “leaf peeper,” (someone who travels to see the changing colors of fall foliage) you’ll learn that sight is only one part of the story. The crunch of leaves underfoot, the…

After a curveball in travel plans, baseball player gets a lift from Horizon

When a recently promoted minor-league baseball player mistakenly got off the airplane in the wrong city, a Horizon Air employee stepped up to the plate to deliver him to his final destination 90 miles away. Customer service agent Andrew Joshu drove from Great Falls, Montana, to Helena to help Sthervin Matos make it to the…

Alaska Airlines employees bring Alaska to Minnesota

Joanne Mambretti had been to every state in the country, save one – Alaska. She had planned a birthday trip to finally check it off her bucket list when a breast cancer recurrence made her too ill to go. That’s when a group of Alaska and Menzies Aviation (Alaska’s ramp, passenger and cargo handling service)…

5 things to know about Horizon Air

For those not familiar with the heart and history behind Horizon Air, the nation’s seventh-largest regional airline, here are five things you might not know.

Onboard cocktails: celebrate summer with a ginger sunrise

You don’t have to be at cruising altitude on “#TravelTuesday” to enjoy one of our favorite onboard cocktails. This refreshing take on a classic gin-orange buck (an old name for a cocktail with ginger) is shared by Erik Chapman, barman at Seattle’s Sun Liquor Distillery, a small, local business which produces the premium gin, rum…

A machine that prints pancakes

How many breakfast chefs does it take to make 180 pancakes in an hour? None, if you have a pancake machine. For those of you who’ve spent any time in an Alaska Airlines Board Room, you know what we’re talking about. If you haven’t, imagine an office printer. But instead of paper, it prints fluffy,…

Shipping 353 pounds of vinyl memories on Alaska Air Cargo

One hot night in the early 1960s in a tiny music hall in New Orleans, a group of jazz musicians got together to pay tribute to Sam Morgan’s Jazz Band, some three decades after Morgan’s death. New Orleans jazz scene regulars Kid Howard and Kid Sheik were there, on the trumpet and cornet, respectively. Ken…

A local’s guide to Mazatlán

Mmm, Mazatlán. Between its golden beaches, local seafood and renowned nightlife, it’s easy to see why this resort town on the Pacific Ocean is such a popular vacation destination. But for those who crave an experience that’s a little more off the beaten path, it’s worth a round of “what do the locals do?” Alaska…

Busting the myth of bad airplane food: Alaska Airlines chef uses science to make food fly

A team of experts plate and sample every single dish before it is added to the menu. In this photo, Alaska Airlines onboard food and beverage product manager Kirsten Robinett examines a first class meal in a recent menu quality check. Pictured here: Cucina Fresca penne with herb-roasted chicken breast and broccoli florets. Let’s be…

Alaska Airlines employee drives 5 hours to help customer make it to fishing trip on time

A college student’s Alaska adventure was nearly derailed before it even started – until Alaska Airlines employees went above and beyond to deliver him to his final destination. When Flight 139 from Chicago to Anchorage was diverted to nearby Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson because of unexpected fog May 5, many customers needed help rearranging plans and…

Flying in a time capsule to honor veterans

As much as he appreciates the Bombardier Q400’s sophisticated flight deck technology, Horizon Air Captain Rob Sandberg quite enjoys stepping back in time. He can often be found at the controls of World War II fighter aircraft, flying for a worthy cause close to his heart. For the past seven years, the Seattle-based pilot has…

A reason to ‘like’ Facebook

Though some heroes come brandishing a sword or a super power, one Alaska Airlines customer comes equipped with miles and the power of social media. When Cecily Craighill missed her flight from Atlanta to Eugene, Oregon, on a different airline, James “JJ” Durant, an Alaska Airlines MVP Gold 75K, came to her rescue on Facebook.…

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