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Alaska Airlines ‘powerful and special’ salute to fallen members of the military, son of Alaska flight attendant  

Alaska’s 12th fallen soldier cart, in honor of SPC Hunter Schmidtke, was made and delivered by our maintenance & engineering team. It will remain in our care but also be available for any airline at Kansas City International Airport transporting the remains of a fallen service members.

Tightly gripping her son’s Army beret, Julia Schmidtke, an Alaska flight attendant, recently got to see the fallen soldier cart built in honor of her son, SPC Hunter Schmidtke, at Alaska’s Maintenance Hangar in Seattle. 

Twenty-five-year-old Hunter Schmidtke, died in 2018 while serving at Fort Riley, Kansas. The special cart was delivered to Kansas City International Airport on Tuesday where it will be used to transport the remains of fallen members of the military from any plane that needs it. 

Julia says her son was just a few months shy of returning to serve in their hometown of Tacoma before his passing.

Designed and crafted by Alaska maintenance and engineering employees—some veterans, some not—the special cart is meant to honor heroes like Hunter, who gave everything for their country. 

A special plaque was installed inside the cart with a photo of Hunter, it reads: “In loving memory of SPC Hunter Schmidtke US Army Bravo Company 16 Fort Riley Kansas. Deeply loved son and brother. 18 Aug 1995 – 15 Jan 2018.”

This is an incredible thing and means so much to Gold Star families like ours,” Julia said. “In a way it’s like he’s going back to serve his country.” 

Julia and her family are part of the military’s Gold Star Program, which represents families and loved ones who have experienced a loss of an immediate family member who died as the result of military service.  

She proudly wears her Gold Star pin on her uniform when she flies. “It’s a small way I keep his memory alive, and it reminds me that he’s always with me and close to my heart,” she says. Julia has been a flight attendant with us for nine years. 

The Gold Star pin serves as a way for Julia to connect with guests who’ve experienced similar losses. “My heart breaks for anyone who’s had to experience the loss of a child,” she said. “It brings me joy being able to talk about Hunter when I can and in a way is healing.”

In 2018, Hunter’s remains were brought home on our Honoring Those Who Serve Aircraft, it was the first time a fallen soldier who was related to a family member at Alaska Airlines was flown by the special aircraft. His brother, Trevor, was so moved by the respect Alaska paid to his brother and family, he applied to be a flight attendant and currently flies with us today.  

“It was a powerful and incredibly moving experience to see everyone come together for Hunter and our family,” Julia said. 

Video in remembrance of Hunter, courtesy of the Schmidtke family.  See :59 his return home on Alaska Airlines.

At Alaska, there is one cart reserved for heroes. 

For over a decade, Alaska has had a company-wide program designed to ensure military families like the Schmidtke’s are treated with the utmost respect. 

Each unique fallen soldier cart is crafted by our Maintenance & Engineering team and is stationed at airports around the country. They’re available to honor members and veterans of all branches of the military. 

Specifically designed and dedicated to fallen service members, each cart is adorned with American flag curtains and the insignia of the five branches of the military to ensure the fallen will be surrounded with respect and honor by those who accompany them on their final journey. 

This year’s cart was assembled in Seattle and then driven to Kansas City by Alaska maintenance employees under escort by Patriot Guard Riders, who volunteer to accompany the cart throughout its entire journey. It’s also the first cart to be delivered since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Patriot Guard is an organization that attends the funerals of members of the U.S. military and first responders at the invitation of a decedent’s family. The group, made up of motorcycle riders and drivers, escort Alaska fallen soldier carts to their final destination.

Kevin Kruse, a line aircraft technician trainer and one of the creators of the Fallen Soldier Program notes Alaska also established protocols for airline employees to follow when a service member’s body is traveling, which has set the precedent for the industry.  

Kevin Kruse (right) with Julia at the MCI fallen soldier cart sendoff ceremony in Seattle earlier this month.

This is our way to have soldiers’ backs and provide them with the service they deserve on their final journey home, so that families like Julia’s know that people cared about what they did,” Kruse says. “You can never take away their pain, but you can always show you care.” 

In addition to Kansas City, we will deliver our 13th cart to San Jose International Airport later this year. Alaska has dedicated carts in Fairbanks, Phoenix, Anchorage, Seattle, Portland, San Diego, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Washington, D.C., Dallas and San Francisco. While the carts remain under Alaska’s care at each airport, they are available for any airline to use when transporting remains of fallen service members. 

Alaska employees go the extra mile to support AANHPI communities, end Asian hate

This May, during Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, we recognize the history and achievements of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders across our network. Story by Shanyn Wright and Maria Cid, Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines stands against hate and violence of any kind. We remain appalled and heartbroken to see violent and racists attacks and harassment continue throughout the country including those in the AANHPI community.

To help create meaningful change and in recognition of AANHPI month, a group of Alaska employees recently flew to Washington D.C., to facilitate conversations among lawmakers to discuss matters close to AANHPI communities.

Leaders of Alaska’s Air Group Pan Asian (AGPA) and Pacific Islander Alliance (PIA) Business Resource Groups (BRGs) met with several policymakers and national leaders to discuss topics ranging from rising anti-Asian hate crimes to increasing representation.

“It was a strong way for us to show up not just for our BRG members and employees but also for our communities,” says Lindsay, a PIA leader. “Opportunities like this empower us to use our collective voice and engage on a national level, which feels incredible to bring back and share with others.”

Meeting with Deputy Assistant to the President and AANHPI Senior Liaison to the White House Erika Moritsugu was a trip highlight for our employees. Moritsugu and BRG leaders discussed the administration’s support of AANHPI interests.

Alaska employees meeting with Erika Moritsugu who is Deputy Assistant to the President and AANHPI Senior Liaison to the White House.

Our communities are so diverse; we all need to be heard,” said AGPA co-leader Nia. “I felt energized by Erika’s dedication to ensuring we’re represented on the local, state, and federal levels.”

For decades, Alaska has championed employee-organized groups like BRGs, that celebrate and advocate diversity, equity and inclusion at the company.

These groups are critical in helping us build an inclusive culture that supports and moves us closer to our goal of inclusion and belonging for all. They also play a key role in helping us increase our Inclusion Index Score, which holds us accountable to our DEI commitments.

BRGs, such as AGPA and PIA, create safe spaces for employees to engage and support one another while celebrating and advocating for cultures, causes and other initiatives our employees care about.

Lawmakers & Alaska BRG leaders met in Washington D.C. to facilitate conversations regarding matters close to AANHPI communities.

Meeting at the table for delicious cuisine and deep conversations in San Francisco

Recently, a group of influential Bay Area members of the AANHPI community gathered at Alaska’s San Francisco Lounge to discuss the current climate and share ways to make our neighborhoods safer and better for everyone.

Vietnamese American and Season 15 Top Chef Tu David Phu was an honorary guest.

“I’ve felt so unseen for the longest time and to have a strong internationally recognized brand like Alaska Airlines say, ‘We believe and support Asian American identities,’ I have never felt more seen in my life,” said Phu.

Top Chef Tu David Phu

Among those ‘at the SFO table,’ were youth activist Ashlyn So, 13, who helped organize Stop Asian hate rallies in the Bay Area, Carl Chan who is the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce President and advocacy manager Shanti Prasad of the Stop AAPI Hate coalition.

The event also celebrated AANHPI Month with the culmination of authentic Vietnamese dishes made by Chef Tu Phu, as well as desserts made by Bay Area Asian American business owners. At the heart of every Asian culture are the gatherings that occur around food.

By elevating the voices of the AANHPI community, we are not only celebrating our beautiful cultures, we are raising awareness about the diversity within our communities and the alarming rise in xenophobia, which has resulted in heinous crimes against innocent people,” said Edrea, an AGPA leader who was in attendance. “Education is the key to breaking down barriers and these events allow our community to be visible.”

Alaska Airlines statement on strike authorization vote: our pilots are not on strike

The union representing Alaska Airlines pilots – the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) – conducted a ‘strike-authorization ballot’ this month. Today, ALPA released the result of that vote. As expected, pilots approved the measure.

Here’s what you need to know:  

Alaska Airlines pilots are not on strike.

As ALPA said this morning, a strike can only occur after a specific, multi-step process involving the federal government and National Mediation Board. 

Our guests and operation are not impacted by this vote.   

We remain committed to reaching a deal to provide an updated contract that is good for Alaska’s pilots.  

Marshalling the Pope’s plane, working with family: Alaska technicians reminisce on Aviation Maintenance Technician Day

Louie K. (far right) poses for a photo with colleagues in Fairbanks. From L to R: technician Tom C., technician Jim T., ramp service agent Keith V. and technician Larry M.. Jim and Larry were both in Louie’s A&P class!

Today is Aviation Maintenance Technician Day, a day that recognizes Charles Taylor, the Wright Brothers’ mechanic and father of aviation maintenance. It also celebrates all Aviation Maintenance Technicians and the hard work, dedication and commitment to safely keeping aircraft airworthy every day.

At Alaska, we have six technicians who’ve been here for 40 years or more! We spoke with Louie K., a Seattle-based line aircraft technician and John B., a Juneau-based line avionics technician, to reflect on their career and memorable moments.

Louie K., Seattle-based line aircraft technician — joined Alaska on June 1, 1979

Louie smiles for the camera next to an aircraft.

Louie was only 18 years old when he joined Alaska in Fairbanks. His stepfather was the head of the Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) School at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and many of the technicians in that part of Alaska went through that school, including those at Alaska Airlines. A&P licenses are the two Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certificates required to become an aviation maintenance technician.

“Several students from my class were hired at Alaska – Kim H., a Seattle line aircraft technician, went through the school a year or two after I did with my younger brother,” said Louie. “I’ve known and worked with Kim for more than four decades now!”

The first aircraft he ever worked on was a Piper Super Cub, but for Alaska, it was the Boeing 727-100. Over his four decades with Alaska, he’s worked full-time at the Seattle and Fairbanks stations, had a temporary stint in Anchorage [while based in Fairbanks] and worked vacation relief for Prudhoe Bay.

In 1984, Louie transferred to Seattle working the heavy check, then the flight line. That year was memorable for Louie – in May, he did the ground handling and marshaled in Air Force 1, Air Force 2 and Pope John Paul II’s aircraft in Fairbanks.

“The Alitalia DC-10 was the Pope’s aircraft,” said Louie. “I took the pictures with just an old pocket camera, but you’d never get that close today. Of course, we were screened to be working on the airfield that day for sure!” 

Nearly 15 years later, he helped organize the drive for AMFA representation for technicians and related crafts and served in various local officer positions before being elected to the National Executive Council and climbing the ranks.

But of all the moments during his career, the biggest highlight came on June 1, 2019. Exactly 40 years to the day when Louie started at Alaska, his son Forrest K. worked his very first day as an A&P technician after getting awarded the bid a couple of days prior. “How cool is that?” said Louie. “We couldn’t have planned that if we’d tried.”

In 1984, Louie transferred to Seattle working the heavy check, then the flight line. That year was memorable for Louie – in May, he did the ground handling and marshaled in Air Force 1, Air Force 2 and Pope John Paul II’s aircraft in Fairbanks.

Today, Louie works in the Interior Shop in the Seattle hangar and is nearing 43 years with the company. When asked if he was aiming for the 50-year milestone pin, he smiled and said, “There are far too many adventures to be had! I’m fortunate to have started my career young and looking forward to the next adventure with my wife Debbie, who is a retired Alaska Airlines flight attendant of 34 years.”

1987: Louie, pictured with his wife Debbie, now a retired Alaska Airlines flight attendant.

John B. — Juneau Line Avionics Technician, joined Alaska in January 1982

Before John B. was hired by Alaska in January 1982 as a Line Avionics Technician on the graveyard shift in Anchorage, he had been working on avionics systems for the Air Force at Elmendorf AFB. When he was hired, he was in aircraft maintenance school to obtain his A&P license.

The first aircraft John worked on was a 727-200, and while in Anchorage, he worked on the 737-200, MD-80’s, 707’s and a Russian Aeroflot aircraft. Throughout his career, John has maintained aircraft for American Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Continental Airlines and Aeroflot Airlines.

After 13 years in Anchorage, John moved to Juneau for a change and to be closer to the wealth of outdoor activities the Southeast has to offer. In Juneau, John not only handled avionics but took on many duties alongside his team.

I like doing it all, and the technicians in Juneau are a great bunch to work with. We’re like a big family here, and I mean that in more ways than one!” said John. “In fact, my son received his A&P license and became part of the Juneau maintenance team.”

Eight years later, his family headed to sunnier skies in Phoenix but the shift in climates took John a while to get used to. “I was on graveyard shift for a few years and it was difficult to sleep during the day with so much sunlight and heat, but it was a bit more manageable when I moved to swing shift (still hot though!).”

John and his family spent 12 years in Phoenix before the pull of grandkids drew him back to Juneau. Today, he works with his son on dayshift handling avionics and general maintenance duties. He says he wouldn’t have it any other way (except he wishes Juneau had a Taco Bell).

Plan your global getaway this summer with Alaska’s 20+ international airline partners  

Discover the world with our oneworld® Alliance members and Global Partner airlines, all while earning or redeeming Alaska Mileage Plan™ miles for traveling to your favorite destinations. 

As our guests travel the world again, Alaska Mileage Plan members can earn and redeem miles with some of the world’s best airlines.  

As the newest member of the oneworldⓇ Alliance, Alaska and its Global Partners are proud to help you safely reach more than 1,000* destinations in more than 170 countries and territories, including amazing destinations like the Maldives, Helsinki, London and beyond! 

Here are a few of the possibilities of where Mileage Plan members can fly internationally: 

AER LINGUS

146 destinations
With gateways in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, New York and more, Mileage Plan members can earn miles travelling to Ireland, Rome, Amsterdam and other spectacular places throughout Europe. 

AIR TAHITI

9 countries/territories 
Who hasn’t dreamed of visiting Bora Bora? With gateways in Seattle and Los Angeles, Mileage Plan members earn miles traveling to French Polynesia, Paris and more. 

AMERICAN AIRLINES

350 destinations
50 countries/territories 
We’vWith gateways in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia and Washington D.C., members earn Mileage Plan miles traveling to Madrid, Dublin, Prague and more. 

BRITISH AIRWAYS

200 destinations
80 countries/territories 
West Coast gateways through Seattle, San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Vancouver B.C. (and soon Portland!) provide Mileage Plan members with connections throughout Europe and beyond via London.

CATHAY PACIFIC

90 destinations
35 countries/territories 
West Coast gateways in San Francisco, Vancouver and Los Angeles give Mileage Plan members connections throughout Asia via Hong Kong, with Cathay Pacific.

CONDOR AIRLINES

726 destinations
Through gateways in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Portland, Phoenix, Seattle, Las Vegas, and Vancouver, Mileage Plan members can travel to Germany and connect to over 60 destinations throughout Europe.

EL AL ISRAEL AIRLINES

With U.S. gateways such as Los Angeles, members earn Mileage Plan miles flying nonstop to Tel Aviv. 

FIJI AIRWAYS

21 destinations
13 countries/territories 
Gateways in San Francisco and Los Angeles will take you to Fiji and beyond with connections to New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific.

FINNAIR

150 destinations
45 countries/territories 
Earn and Redeem your Mileage Plan miles on Finnair including non-stop service from Los Angeles to Helsinki and beginning on June 1, 2022, Seattle to Helsinki.

HAINAN AIRLINES

51 destinations
28 countries/territories 
Plan a visit to an unrestored section of the Great Wall of China or take a short train ride to peaceful Suzhou offers a welcome respite from busy Shanghai.

IBERIA

135 destinations
47 countries/territories 
Discover an ensemble of historic capitals and exceptional beaches earning Alaska Mileage Plan miles along the way from gateways in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

ICELANDAIR

Through gateways in Portland and Seattle, Mileage Plan members can travel to Iceland and connect to over 20 destinations throughout Europe. 

JAPAN AIRLINES

80 destinations
20 countries/territories 
West Coast gateways in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego bring you to Tokyo (Haneda and Narita) as well as Los Angeles to Osaka, with connections throughout Japan and Asia. 

KOREAN AIR

Mileage Plan members can connect with Korean Air in Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

LATAM AIRLINES

LATAM Airlines serves destinations throughout South America, including Chile, Peru, Colombia and Argentina. 

MALAYSIA AIRLINES

55 destinations
17 countries/territories
Experience the rich diversity of Southern Asia and earn Alaska Mileage Plan miles along the way.

QANTAS

80 destinations
20 countries/territories 
Mileage Plan members can book Qantas flights to visit places like Australia and New Zealand from Dallas, Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco and more. 

QATAR AIRWAYS

200 destinations
100 countries/territories 
From the West Coast, fly with our partner Qatar Airways and enjoy nonstop service from Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. From the East Coast, fly to Doha from Atlanta, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington D.C., and more. 

RAVN ALASKA

12 destinations
Ravn brings you the rugged beauty of the great state of Alaska.

ROYAL AIR MORAC

105 destinations
51 countries/territories 
From New York or Washington D.C., explore the ancient beauty of Casablanca and endless souks of Marrakech while earning miles through Alaska Mileage Plan. 

ROYAL JORDANIAN

45 destinations
30 countries/territories 
Take in the marvel of Petra and other jewels of the Middle East while earning miles with Alaska Mileage Plan.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES

62 destinations
32 countries/territories 
West Coast gateways San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle give Mileage Plan members connections throughout Asia with Singapore Airlines.

SRILANKAN AIRLINES 

111 destinations
48 countries/territories 
Experience Sri Lanka through its majestic wildlife and serene tea estates while earning Alaska Mileage Plan miles.

Not a Mileage Plan member yet?

Join now and check out our elite status benefits. 

Guest writes, “Dear Alaska Airlines, you changed my life” 

It’s not often we get a love letter like this. We just had to share. 

For Carrie, a long-time guest, Alaska Airlines was more than just a way to work. Our airline was a means for her to continue her career, after moving to Idaho. A way to create family memories with her kids’ first flights. And a way to stay connected with her family, attending weddings, graduations and funerals.  

Creating meaningful connections and fond memories is what we strive for every day.  For Carrie, we created a lifetime of them. Read her letter below: 

Alaska Airlines names 30-year industry veteran new senior vice president of airport operations

Alaska Airlines’ board of directors has promoted 30-year airline veteran Wayne Newton to senior vice president of airport operations and customer services. In addition to overseeing airport and cargo operations across 125 locations and a team of employees and contractors, Newton will now lead Alaska’s largest hub in Seattle. He has also been named the chairman of the McGee Air Services board of directors, an Alaska Airlines subsidiary that provides ground services. 

Since joining Alaska in 1988 as a ramp service agent, Newton has served the airline’s airport operations team in a variety of roles, including as managing director of airport operations at Sea-Tac International Airport. He is currently the vice president of airport operations and customer services, where he is responsible for over 3,200 airport and air cargo employees.

Wayne is an exceptional leader with a strong understanding of Alaska’s culture and operations,” said Constance von Muehlen, Alaska’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. “Since joining Alaska in 1988, Wayne’s mastery of the business and people-focused leadership has played a critical role in growing our company to where we are today.”

Newton earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Washington and has his private pilot’s license. Connect with him on LinkedIn.

Alaska Air Cargo delivers season’s first Copper River Salmon to Seattle

A sign for many that summer has o-fish-cially begun! 

Straight from the frigid waters of the Copper River in Alaska, the first delivery of fresh salmon arrived today at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. 

Nearly 17,200 pounds of wild Alaska Copper River Salmon was flown by Alaska Air Cargo — the first of many shipments expected this season, which runs now through September. 

The celebratory “first fish,” sponsored this year by Copper River Seafoods, weighed in at 30 lbs. 

Greg McDole, Copper River Seafoods, with the celebratory first fish in Seattle.
Greg McDole and Jim Kostko, Copper River Seafoods.

Fast facts about Copper River Salmon: 

  • Copper River Salmon shipped on Alaska Air Cargo arrive as fresh as possible to grocery stores and restaurants across the nation, thanks in part to a cool chain training program required of all airline employees who handle perishables.  
  • Our employees follow strict seafood quality standards and pass an annual food quality course. The goal is to keep seafood moving rapidly throughout its journey on Alaska Airlines and maintain a consistent temperature range from the time it leaves the water to when it arrives at stores and restaurants. 
  • The Copper River Salmon season usually runs from mid-May through June.  
  • A Copper River Salmon can grow up to 50 pounds or more, according to the Copper River Marketing Association. 
  • Copper River salmon must travel 300 miles from the ocean, where they have spent their adult lives, through rugged terrain and icy waters to reach their spawning grounds, a journey that requires extra stores of energy in the form of fat, according to the Copper River Marketing Association. It is this fat that not only creates the exceptional flavor and texture of Copper River salmon, but also the high levels of omega-3 fatty acids that make it so healthy to eat. 

Be sure to check out your local grocer or restaurants to get a taste of the excellent fish! 

Captain Kevin with his family after arriving safely in Seattle with the special shipment.

A message from Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci: Getting back on track

Running a great operation is part of what makes Alaska Airlines who we are, but at the moment, we’re not living up to that commitment. CEO Ben Minicucci apologizes for the impact and shares how we’re getting back to being the airline you know and trust.

To hear why this happened and the actions we’re taking to make it right, please watch this two-minute video message.

Read Ben’s letter to employees about returning to operational excellence and our commitment to them and our guests.

Full video transcript:

Hi everyone, I’m Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Airlines. For many years we’ve taken pride in running a strong operation. However, we aren’t living up to that commitment right now, and for that, I’m deeply sorry.  

I hear every day from friends, neighbors and guests about how disruptive our flight cancellations have been. Everybody wants to know, “What happened? And what are you doing about it?”  

Simply put, we had 63 fewer pilots than what we planned for when we built our schedule. By the time we caught this error, April and May schedules were bid on by our pilots and flight attendants, making it impossible to sufficiently adjust schedules to avoid cancellations.  

This error is having a continued ripple effect for May. Of the 1,200 flights that we operate every day, we’ve been canceling about 50 of them, that’s about 4%. A canceled flight is frustrating enough, but then you often face long hold times when you try to reach someone in Reservations. This is coming at a time when flights are already full, so rebooking options are limited.  

Even though we made immediate changes, it takes some time for a complex operation to turn the corner. The month of May will continue to be choppy and we’re doing everything we can to minimize the impact on you.  

For June and beyond, we’ve made significant changes to ensure a high degree of reliability.  

This includes hiring and training: 150 new pilots, 200 additional reservations agents. And 1,100 new flight attendants.  

This, along with the reductions we’ve made to our schedule, will ensure we run an operation that you can count on.  

I’m grateful for the people at Alaska and Horizon who are working long hours to take care of you and make the best of this tough situation.  

The foundation of our airline is strong. Long term, Alaska is a resilient airline with 90 years of history – and through it all, you’ve helped shape our airline and make us better.  I’m committed to you, to our people, and to our communities. We’ll get this right and return to being the Alaska you can count on. Thank you.  

Aircraft technicians at Horizon Air ratify new two-year contract 

Horizon Air aircraft technicians and fleet service agents, who are represented by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), have ratified a new two-year contract. The contract was approved by 91% of those employees who voted. The new contract includes increases to the wage scale, retroactive pay to January 2022 and other compensation increases. 

Horizon’s aircraft technicians are responsible for the maintenance of the carrier’s fleet of Embraer 175s and Bombardier Q400s aircraft.

Our technicians and fleet services employees play a critical role in our operation, keeping our aircraft safe, reliable and clean,” said Gavin Jones, vice president of maintenance and engineering for Horizon Air. “We are grateful to the AMFA negotiating team for working with us to find solutions that work for our technicians and position Horizon for the future.”  

Contracts in the airline industry do not expire. Once they become amendable, the current contract remains in effect until a new agreement is ratified.

With bases in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska, Horizon serves more than 45 cities throughout the Pacific Northwest, California, the Midwest, and British Columbia and Alberta in Canada. 

I would like to thank the management of Horizon Air for recognizing the value of all our members,” said AMFA Local 14 Representative Bobby Shipman. “Thanks to all the negotiating committee members for the dedicated service to resolving this contract in a small amount of time.”

Letter from CEO: Returning to operational excellence; our commitment to you and our guests

By Ben Minicucci, Alaska Airlines President & CEO

I’m writing today to give you an update on where we are and where we’re going since you last heard from me at the Q1 all-employee webcast.

Since April, we have canceled too many flights, disrupted too many plans, stretched our teams too far and haven’t taken care of you or our guests in the way we intend.

Our operational challenges come down to not having enough pilots to fly our spring schedule.

There are no excuses. The leadership team and I take responsibility and we’re executing a plan to get this right and ensure it doesn’t happen again.

How did we get here?

We started April and May with 63 fewer Alaska pilots than we needed to fly our schedule. By the time we recognized we would be short, April and May schedules were already bid by our pilots and flight attendants. So, even though we cut block hours, which is the metric we use to calculate how many pilots we need, there was no way to completely close the gap between the number of block hours on the schedule compared to pilots available to fly.

This shortage is having a continued ripple effect. Of the 1,200 flights that we operate every day, we’ve been canceling about 50 of them, roughly 4%. This is coming at a time when flights are already full, so rebooking options are limited and many of our guests have experienced extraordinarily long hold times to get the help they need, putting strain on literally every team in the organization.

We will continue to see these cancels through June 1st. We are working to manage these to reduce the impact as much as possible on you and our guests.

What’s the plan?

To get this right, we must get staffing right. This is critical. We recently centralized staff planning under one team to ensure that with the complexity of staffing in this post-COVID world, we have the right number of fully trained people in all workgroups to meet our schedule. We’ve also prioritized hiring, training and recruiting across every workgroup to ensure we have the right number of people to support our operations.  

Even with these changes, it takes some time for a complex operation to turn the corner. Here’s what you can expect through the end of summer:

June – Relief in sight

  • For June, we have reduced block hours to 70k, which is about what we flew in April and less than what we flew in May.
  • Meanwhile, an additional 114 pilots will be available to fly the line in June.
  • We will also continue to graduate new flight attendants. This will enable us to reduce the line average for flight attendants to ensure greater flexibility and better schedules. For June, the line average will be 75 TFP, with a 25% reserve ratio, compared to 82.77 in April and 82.1 in May.

July and August – Back on track

  • By July and through the rest of the summer travel season, we should be back to flying a reliable and well-staffed operation. An additional 50 pilots, 400 flight attendants and 200 reservations agents will have joined our ranks. This will allow us to increase block hours to 76k in July and August, which is still less than what we originally planned to fly this summer.
  • While we have reduced our flight volumes for this summer, we are not reducing our hiring plans. Our goal is to have significantly more staff on board before we look to accelerate growth again.

My commitment to you and our guests

Returning to operational excellence is imperative, and I am dedicated to making sure we accomplish that goal. Here are my top priorities: 

  • Getting back to running the safe, reliable schedule for which we are known and trusted.
  • Reaching a deal that’s good for our Alaska pilots. I want to be clear – our pilots are not on strike.
  • Ensuring a successful transition to single Boeing and Embraer fleets for our mainline and regional operations.
  • Setting the company up for sustainable growth in 2023 and beyond. 

Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me personally. I hear every day from employees, friends, neighbors and guests about how disruptive this has been. Just like all of you, I feel this deeply, and I am committed to getting this right.   

I’m grateful for each of you who are working so hard to take care of our guests and our operation through this incredibly tough situation.  We have the knowledge, the people and the experience to get back on track to realize the bright future ahead of us.

Thank you.  

Ben

International arriving gets a world-class upgrade at Alaska’s hometown airport in Seattle 

As our guests travel the world again, Mileage Plan members can earn and redeem miles with more than 20 airlines that are oneworld members and additional global partners. 

Alaska Airlines, our fellow oneworld members and our additional global airline partners are celebrating a new era at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport: all of our arriving international guests who need customs clearance now make their way through the new, state-of-the-art International Arrivals Facility (IAF). It’s a faster, modernized, more efficient way to arrive back into the Pacific Northwest from points around the globe. 

A world-class International Arrivals Facility at our hometown airport provides tremendous economic and strategic opportunities for Alaska as we continue to grow our airline and our partnerships,” said Nat Pieper, senior vice president of fleet, finance and alliances at Alaska Airlines. “We’re proud of our membership in the oneworld alliance and our array of additional international partner airlines. With our worldwide reach of more than 1,000 destinations, Alaska is a global airline that can take our guests nearly anywhere they want to go – near and far.” 

The opening of the IAF comes just as many of us are ready for worldwide travel adventures again. Maybe let loose on that epic hiking trip through the Alps, a deep dive into royal history in London or a food marathon of sushi bars and ramen stands across Tokyo – the sky’s the limit. 

Altogether, oneworld airlines offer the most nonstop flights to international destinations from SEA this summer – an average of 20 daily international flights in June, which includes Alaska’s nonstop flights to Canada and Mexico. From oneworld global hubs, guests can connect to hundreds of other cities. 

Seattle’s newest nonstop international service will be on oneworld member Finnair starting June 1. Members of Alaska’s award-winning Mileage Plan program can earn double miles between Seattle and Helsinki from June 1-Oct. 28, 2022. Register by June 30 to take advantage of this promotion. 

With Mileage Plan, our guests can earn and redeem miles on more than 20 airlines that are oneworld members and our additional global partners. Here are a few of the possibilities of one-way, main cabin Mileage Plan redemptions that are available in July and August: 

SEA to London: Starting at 32,500 miles on British Airways

SEA to Tokyo:  Starting at 35,000 miles on Japan Airlines 

SEA to Maldives:  Starting at 42,500 miles on Qatar  

SEA to Iceland:  Starting at 30,000 miles on Icelandair 

Nonstop international flights on oneworld member airlines and additional partners from SEA for June 2022. oneworld members are in bold: 

Destination Airline Frequency 
Calgary Alaska Daily 
Cancun Alaska Daily 
Edmonton Alaska Daily 
Frankfurt Condor Daily 
Helsinki Finnair 3x Weekly 
Kelowna Alaska Daily 
London Heathrow British Airways 2x Daily 
Los Cabos Alaska Daily 
Doha Qatar Airways Daily 
Puerto Vallarta Alaska 2x Weekly 
Reykjavik Icelandair 2x Daily 
Seoul Korean Air Daily 
Singapore Singapore Airlines 3x Weekly 
Tokyo Narita Japan Airlines Daily 
Vancouver Alaska 7x Daily 
Victoria Alaska 2x Daily 
See all the places you can go with oneworld at https://bit.ly/3kW17Rd .
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