Alaska Airlines Wins Approval to Serve Mexico City

Alaska Airlines received approval today from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to launch service between Los Angeles International Airport and Mexico City. Subject to government approval, Alaska will inaugurate service on Aug. 2 with one daily nonstop and will add a second daily nonstop shortly thereafter.

Flights will be routed Seattle-Los Angeles-Mexico City and Portland-Los Angeles-Mexico City, extending the benefits of Mexico City service to customers in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska and throughout Alaska Airlines’ route network.

"This award represents the culmination of our long pursuit of entry into the single largest U.S./Mexico market," said Bill Ayer, chairman and chief executive officer of Alaska Airlines. "We are grateful to Secretary Mineta and the DOT for their favorable consideration of our application."

The coveted route became available when Delta Air Lines, one of two U.S. carriers flying the route, announced that it would discontinue service at the end of January 2005. The United States-Mexico bilateral agreement, which governs air service between the two countries, limits service on the route to two carriers from each country.

Ayer said Alaska received hundreds of letters of support for its application. "We greatly appreciate the outpouring of support from our employees, union leadership, the communities we serve, and business and political leaders who, through their own grass-roots efforts, helped make a very compelling case for Alaska Airlines," Ayer said.

Specifically, Ayer thanked members of the Alaska, Washington and Oregon congressional delegations, many of whom personally contacted the DOT to express their support for Alaska Airlines’ application; as well as Washington Governor Christine Gregoire, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski and Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn, who also conveyed to the DOT their backing of the Alaska bid.

A mile high and steeped in history, Mexico City is the capital city of Mexico. It is home to 20 million people making it the largest city in the world, as well as the oldest continuously inhabited city in the Western Hemisphere. It is frequented year-round by both leisure and business travelers.

Alaska Airlines inaugurated service to Mexico in 1988 and currently serves eight cities in Mexico, including Cancun, Los Cabos, Loreto, Guadalajara, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, Manzanillo, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta.

Alaska and sister carrier, Horizon Air, together serve more than 80 cities through an expansive network throughout Alaska, the Lower 48, Canada and Mexico. For reservations visit alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines newsroom on the Internet at http://newsroom.alaskaair.com/ .

SOURCE: Alaska Airlines