Like father, like son: Airline roots run in the family

Summary

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For employees Cody and Malachi, every day feels like Father’s Day as they work alongside their dads at Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, sharing a deep passion for safety, excellence and family.

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From military service to airline careers, these father-son duos prove that the love of aviation — and putting family first — is a legacy worth carrying forward.

For some, Father’s Day means finding the perfect greeting card or firing up the grill with family. But for Cody, a line maintenance inspector in Seattle, and Malachi, a cargo agent in Honolulu, every day is Father’s Day as they work alongside their dads and share a deep love of aviation.

Meet Cody and Jeremy in Seattle

Growing up with a father who is a brigadier general in the U.S. Air Force can be intimidating, but Cody, a line maintenance inspector at Alaska Airlines’ Seattle maintenance hangar, takes it in stride. In just three years at Alaska Airlines, he has already won two SOAR Awards — a celebrated companywide safety honor — and been named employee of the quarter. Those achievements make his father, Jeremy, managing director of safety at Horizon Air, especially proud.

Jeremy served nearly 35 years in the U.S. Air Force in various roles, including fighter pilot, flight instructor and commander of operations, before retiring and joining Alaska Airlines in 2019 as director of security. He was promoted to lead Horizon’s safety program in 2021.

Cody is often called “Jeremy’s kid” at work, but he doesn’t mind. “I know my dad is cool,” he said. “It’s fun to hear it from my coworkers as well.”

Cody first followed in his father’s footsteps by joining the U.S. Air Force, where he completed four years of service. He later earned his airframe and powerplant license and moved to Illinois, where he serviced aircraft for a private firm with celebrity clientele. During a trip to Seattle to visit his father, he toured Alaska Airlines’ maintenance hangar and saw firsthand how happy his dad was in his career. Cody had long admired the company and its reputation for safety and excellence, so he applied for a job and was soon welcomed into its Maintenance and Engineering division.

A couple of months into the job, Cody was recognized with his first SOAR Award after he stopped a tow vehicle from entering an unsafe situation — even though he knew it would cause a delay. His father presented him with the award.

“It’s great to see him succeed at Alaska and even more rewarding to see him become a huge safety advocate,” Jeremy said.

Cody, who is a father himself with a young son and daughter, agrees he’s lucky to have his dad as a role model who puts family first. “Having served with my dad in the Air Force and now at Alaska is pretty much as good as it gets,” he said.

Meet Malachi and Sione in Honolulu

For Malachi, a Hawaiian Air Cargo agent on Oʻahu, working with his dad is all about sticking together as a family. After attending college in Utah and working for an airport ramp contractor in Maui, he welcomed any chance to be closer to home. With encouragement from his father, Sione, also a cargo agent, he applied to work for Hawaiian Airlines and was hired as a Honolulu ramp agent in 2018. A few years later, he transferred to Hawaiian Air Cargo.

“Working with my son is a true blessing for me,” said Sione, who has worked with Hawaiian for 18 years, nine of which have been with the Cargo division.

The father and son both work at Hawaiian’s Honolulu cargo facility, often sharing the early morning shift. They agree that their unique but complementary skills make them a strong team on the job.

“I really enjoy working with my dad,” Malachi said. “It makes the work environment even more comfortable, and if I need help with something or have questions, he’s there for me.”

Malachi and Sione take pride in Hawaiian Air Cargo’s role in serving Hawaiʻi’s local communities, transporting essential goods, such as fresh foods, dry goods, pets and medical supplies, throughout the islands, while also supporting large overseas customers. “We have a proud group of coworkers, leaders and customers. That collective energy makes every day, even the busiest ones, more enjoyable for everyone,” Sione said.

With so much time spent together, one might think Malachi and Sione would go their separate ways at the end of the workday — but that’s not the case. “Our family loves spending time together, whether it’s going out to eat or taking trips to Molokaʻi or Maui to visit more family and friends,” Sione shared.

When asked about plans for Father’s Day, Malachi shared that he has wisely surrendered the restaurant choice to his dad. “Wherever my dad wants to eat, we’ll go,” he said, knowing full well his dad would want to go to his favorite spot, Side Street Inn, which is located just outside Waikīkī.

“If you go, try the short ribs and signature fried rice,” Sione recommended without hesitation. “And arrive hungry; Side Street is known for its portions!”

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