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magnifying glass with dark circle in the middle.

Constance von Muehlen becomes COO at Alaska Airlines

Breaking barriers is nothing new for Constance von Muehlen, our newly appointed chief operating officer. At age seven, she had her eyes set on becoming a helicopter pilot. Years later, she served as an officer  in the United States Army and became a Black Hawk helicopter pilot. On April 3, 2021, she will make Alaska Airlines history by becoming the first female COO. Today, 40% of Alaska’s executive leadership team are women.

I think women often limit themselves in imagining where we can contribute and end up, and I’m certainly an example of that. I am grateful that people, perhaps more perceptive than myself, have seen my skills in action and said I would be good at this and provided me that opportunity,” says von Muehlen.

Most recently, von Muehlen was Alaska’s senior vice president of our maintenance and engineering division. She led all safety, compliance and operational performance of our airline’s mainline Boeing and Airbus fleet. This is not the first COO position she has held within Alaska Air Group. From 2018 to 2019, von Muehlen also served as COO at Horizon Air, our regional airline.

I’ve managed a lot of complexity in my career while finding ways to simplify, as well as anticipating our business’s demands and will continue to do so as COO. The most fundamental thing I’ve learned as a leader is taking the team we have and unlocking each individual’s potential to be the very best contributor they can be. When we do that and come together, we’re unstoppable,” she said.

With 30 years of aviation experience, von Muehlen brings a strong foundation of safety and operational excellence to the COO role. We sat down with her to discuss this appointment’s significance, her leadership style, and who inspires her (hint — it’s all of our guests and employees). Check the Q&A below.

Q&A

You will be named the first female COO at Alaska, as we celebrate Women’s History Month, what does that mean to you and the women in the industry and beyond?

Constance: “It is super humbling to me. My desire to represent women well is that much higher given the role I’ll serve because I want to make sure there is no doubt in anybody’s mind that all women are capable of this type of work and performance. I’m also excited to bring a different perspective to the role and a new approach than what we’ve seen before. It will be my approach, which is formed and shaped by the fact that I am a woman and have spent 30 years in the traditionally male-dominated aviation industry.”

Tell us about your first 90-120 days, what is your main focus?

Constance: “First and foremost—our people. Whether it be the front line or our guests, I want to understand more granularly what their struggles are and what our team is going through to deliver in their everyday work and to our guests, and how guests perceive us in delivering our service. Longer-term, I’ll focus on strategic opportunities and how to perform at ever-increasing levels despite all of the changes around us.”

Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

Constance: “My parents. In the 1950s, my mom ran her own business, which was inspiring considering the culture back then. I’ve worked with incredibly inspiring people, whether it’s been at Alaska or in the Army, and what inspires me is to support those great people as well as I can. That’s what drives me—the desire to enable every person I work with to unlock their potential.

… So, it isn’t necessarily a person, but it’s everyone, in the sense that we all deserve to have that kind of fulfillment at work. The question is, how do we do that across all these teams, processes and demands while we meet and exceed our guests’ expectations? My inspiration is doing the very best we can as a team and everyone contributing to meet a common goal.”

You’ve accomplished many groundbreaking things in your career, what propels you forward and how do you inspire other women to be trailblazers?

Constance: “I would hope someday it’s less of a ‘pioneering type’ conversation, that it’s not a path unusually followed by women but regularly followed by women. Since I was seven years old, I wanted to fly helicopters. The bug bit me —that was it, and I went from there. I never envisioned in my wildest dreams I would end up in a COO role.”

Alaska has had great COOs, how will you build on their legacy and position the company to be even better, especially when COVID is behind us?

Constance: “Fantastic question. I don’t have the answer yet. Part of it is unlocking everyone’s potential at Alaska to meet and exceed our guests’ expectations. The shortest answer I can give is, I’m only as good as my work tomorrow. I prefer to come back in a year or two and say, ‘did I or did I not do that?’ I intend to do everything we set out to do, and a big part of that success is how we can achieve that as one team.”

Related:

Black employees and allies are driving meaningful change for a more equitable future at Alaska where everyone belongs

Cultivating a culture of belonging and connection is a prime focus at Alaska Airlines. Whether it’s safely connecting people across the world or within our company through employee-led Business Resource Groups (BRGs), we are committed to creating an equitable workplace for all.

BRGs offer a haven for employees to champion the diverse workforce we have within our wings while engaging, educating and uplifting us as a whole, making our business, culture and communities better. Groups dedicate their free time to share similar interests, give back to communities and provide professional development and support. They also help inform important business decisions where relevant and deliver on our goals.

ABEA leaders and members outside at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in February, 2021.

Air Group Black Employees, Allies and Advocates, or ABEA, is a space for Black employees—and all people of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, our regional airline—to be themselves, lead and thrive and educate others on critical issues that can drive diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

DeMarco Best, one of the founding members of ABEA and duty manager of simulator operations in Seattle, says in the 25 years he’s been with the company, Alaska has made enormous strides when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion. However, he admits, there’s still a lot of work needed to advance racial equity within our organization and the airline industry as a whole.

“My philosophy is: you shouldn’t complain about what is wrong in the world if you aren’t doing something to make it better. I love Alaska because I have been given an opportunity to represent and engage with our community, both locally and nationwide. As an active member of ABEA, I’ve volunteered with our recruitment team during job fairs to demonstrate an inclusive culture, and traveled to Washington DC to help the company lobby for equity and inclusion,” said DeMarco Best. (Photo from before March 2020).

Recently Air Group announced its commitment to advance racial equity with goals for representation, inclusive culture and public leadership.

People ask, ‘what does success look like?’ It’s so hard to quantify success when you know this is a journey we’re always going to be on,” said Best. “If we can get to a place of mutual understanding that we need to move beyond just tolerating each other and see the goodness our differences make, this company will be successful—in so many ways we’re better because we’re different.”

“There’s no shame in where we are. We are trying to take this on, and it’s going to be hard, that’s all there is to it, but at least we’re navigating it. We’re taking our time and trying to do things that are going to last,” said John-Antony Dubreuil, ABEA leader and ITS senior test manager.

Holding space for hard conversations.

Black employees have been navigating systemic racism their entire lives and, in the past year, the disproportionate effects of COVID-19. Immediately following the tragic death of George Floyd, ABEA organized listening sessions for employees and leaders to come together across the company—prioritizing recovery and resilience, both from an organizational and personal perspective.

There was so much energy from our employees and allies to take action and do more, so we harnessed that as an opportunity to have open and critical dialogue with peers and leaders to listen to understand and respond in a meaningful way,” said Sarah Keimig, ABEA leader and Seattle lounge manager.

Seattle Lead Customer Service Agent Cinamin Wise, ABEA Leader & Seattle Lounge Manager Sarah Keimig, Phoenix Reservation Sales Agent Shari Fauntleroy (right).

From these sessions came a lot of hard conversations, incredible moments and realizations.

“Just in the past year, we have learned so much together and created more resounding change, so employees feel empowered, supported, and heard,” Keimig said. “We will continue being the driving force and voice among our leaders when we say that this is what our people need right now.”

ABEA leaders continue to encourage Black employees to rest, recover and create space for long-term care and positive affirmation of Black identity. (Photo of ABEA leaders and allies in February 2021).

Today, about 10% of Alaska and Horizon employees belong to one or more of our BRGs, which include Air Group Black Employees, Allies and Advocates, Accessibility Group, Air Group Pan-Asian, AAG Military Group, GLOBE (Alaska’s LGBTQ+ Group), Green Team, Latin Culture Resource Group, Native Employee Network Group, Pacific Islander Alliance, Women’s Interactive Networking Group, AAG Women in Tech. Our goal is to continue to increase the membership of our BRGs as a way to drive connection, foster inclusion and support employees.

Alaska Airlines stands against hate with the Asian American Pacific Islander community

In the year since COVID-19 impacted the United States, there has been an alarming rise in violence against the Asian American Pacific Islander community. We are appalled and heartbroken to see these attacks and harassment continue to grow.

Our Asian American Pacific Islander guests and employees are living in fear and experiencing great pain from these racist acts and rhetoric. We stand with our Alaska and Horizon employees and guests in denouncing this behavior and are actively working to ensure Alaska is a place where everyone feels safe and welcome.

We have taken actions to ensure our people feel supported, including creating safe places to be heard and offering Anti-Racism, Bystander Intervention and Unconscious Bias training for our teams. We have a zero-tolerance policy that is strictly enforced for any type of racist behavior or activity. We also recently shared our new diversity, equity and inclusion goals which include a commitment to making Alaska an inclusive culture as well as using our public platforms to advance racial equity progress.

At Alaska, we are driven by our values of being kind-hearted and doing the right thing. We will lead with those values and continue to always embrace and care for our Asian and Pacific Islander guests and colleagues.

Groundbreaking pilots have their sights on closing the gender gap

Chances are, on any given flight, your pilot isn’t a woman—an irking approximation both Captain Kat Pullis and Kisa Wiley hope will change during their lifetime.

Women in the flight deck remain somewhat of a rarity: Only about 7 percent of commercial airline pilots in the U.S. are women. However, Pullis and Wiley want the industry to celebrate how far it’s come in recent years and set an example for future generations of women in aviation.

We are rare, but for us to be successful in whatever we choose to do is not.” — Captain Kisa Wiley, Base Chief Pilot, Horizon Air

Capt. Kisa Wiley with an E-175 Horizon aircraft in 2021.

Both pilots agree the path to becoming a pilot is not always linear, and the aviation industry still has work to do to reach gender and racial equity.

As a company, we celebrate their unwavering tenacity, achievements and paving the way for women alike in the industry every day, especially today, International Women’s Day.

Captain Wiley didn’t always dream of becoming a pilot. Fate has a funny way of putting you in the right place at the right time.

While studying Art History in college, her sister asked her to go to ground school with her—to take classes to gain all necessary aeronautical knowledge before flying. That fall, she turned in her history books for a pair of wings at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world’s largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace.

Capt. Wiley in 2021.

Today, she is a captain and base chief pilot for Horizon Air, Alaska’s regional airline, which she has been part of since 2015. When she’s not flying, she is the first point of contact for management when a pilot needs something—similar to an HR representative. She helps pilots navigate medical appointments, jury duty, a death in the family or answer questions they may have about X, Y and Z.

“My favorite thing is being able to make a difference for somebody,” Wiley said. “Because I’ve been that pilot who needs something and it might seem like a little thing, but it can mean a world of a difference to them.”

Captain Pullis, also a base chief pilot, is the first female to assume this role at Alaska Airlines. Her path to aviation was a bit different. Growing up in Hawaii on Oahu, she looked at travel as a way to spread her wings and see the world.

Capt. Pullis in 2019.

She says her strength and inspiration come from her Hawaiian ancestor Queen Ka’ahumanu, who removed taboos and barriers for women in Hawaii.

“I named my daughter after her. She means a lot to me culturally and as a female,” she says, and like a queen, Capt. Pullis takes pride in not fitting the mold. “As soon as I embraced my differences, everything worked out. I didn’t have to pretend to be the ‘perfect’ pilot—I just had to be myself.”

“At the end of the day, if you’re just yourself, and you don’t put up a wall, and you can just be another human sitting next to another human and try not to make it this male-female thing, it is great, and all the walls fall,” said Capt. Pullis. Photo from 2019.

Wiley quickly learned that flying came naturally to her—call it perseverance or family genes—both her dad and grandfather were pilots. Her mom also worked for Alaska in the 70s with maintenance and later on as a flight attendant.

Her dad was one of the first Black pilots hired at Alaska in 1975.

Wiley’s parents both worked for Alaska Airlines. Her dad was one of the first Black pilots hired at Alaska.

“I didn’t really think of my dad as a pioneer growing up; it wasn’t until I was older and started learning about some of the history and some of the challenges and discrimination he may have faced when getting his career started that I realized how impressive it all was,” Wiley said.

Growing up, she says she was fortunate not to be told certain things were for boys or girls.

Capt. Wiley in 2021.

I realized the upbringing I had was a privilege, not the norm. And that is extremely unfortunate because it should just be the norm to tell people of color or women that they can do the same thing that white guys do,” Wiley said.

When asked what sort of changes she’s noticed since her parents’ day, Wiley says the industry is more welcoming, but there is still more work to improve gender inclusivity and racial equity.

“The number of female pilots has increased, but it’s still a male-dominated field. However, I’ve noticed recruiting has changed, and we’re trying to hire more women of color,” Wilesey said.

As a Black Asian female pilot, Wiley says she was happy to see Horizon and Alaska actually put a plan in action to advance racial equity.

“I was glad to see it extend beyond the period of time when the outrage dies down, and the steps toward progress do too,” she said.

Pullis agrees the field could use more women, but it starts with education and setting realistic expectations like what flying will be like while trying to balance a family and personal life.

Pullis’ husband is also a pilot with Alaska. She says “even though I’m a groundbreaking woman, none of this would be possible without the support of my husband! I’m so fortunate to have such a great partner!”

“When I first started, I was like ‘I want to fly the biggest airplane around the world and just travel.’ If you were to ask me now, that’s the furthest thing from what I want … I want to go up and down the West Coast and then come home and have dinner with my kids. That’s my priority now,” said Pullis.

Wiley, a mom of two, says finding balance as a pilot can be challenging but isn’t anything she can’t handle. Someday, if her daughter chooses to fly, she would be a fifth-generation pilot — and hopefully her chances of sitting next to a female co-pilot will be much greater.

Wiley with her family pre-pandemic. Her husband is a fourth generation pilot—his dad actually flew with Wiley’s dad once in the 80s (talk about a small world).

5 reasons Alaska Airlines employees are truly remarkable

The people of Alaska, including our regional airline Horizon Air, are the heart of our business and the reason we’re an award-winning airline. We celebrate their passion, dedication and hard work every day—especially today, Employee Appreciation Day, with heartfelt thanks for all they do!

Here are five reasons our employees are remarkable:

1. Safety is always top of mind.

Safety is at the forefront of everything we do at Alaska Airlines. Every employee is empowered to stop the operation if something feels unsafe. In fact, we love safety so much, our employees made a music video about it. Featuring our actual employees, the video highlights the number of ways we’re focused on keeping our guests and employees safe as part of Next-Level Care.

2. Kind-heartedness comes naturally.

Our people put their hearts into everything they do. They are the foundation of who we are as a company and live out our purpose of creating an airline people love. And we will continue to advance racial equity with goals for representation, inclusive culture, and public leadership. Learn more.

3. Make travel carefree and easy.

Alaska employees are empowered to think differently, so they can provide the best experience for our guests and employees. Innovation is a huge part of who we are, and our teams are always looking for new ways to enhance the travel experience such as offering touch-free travel options that allow guests to scan boarding passes up to six feet away, print bag tags without touching the check-in kiosk and purchase food and beverages on board using pre-stored payment preferences, and Pre-Clear requirements for seamless travel to Hawaii.

4. Community giving is nonstop.

Our employees are heavily invested in the communities we serve and support the charities they care about most. Through matching gifts, our LIFT Miles programs, the Alaska Airlines Foundation and community events, Alaska makes it easy for employees to give back, and recognizes employees each year for going above and beyond in service to their community. Our people are especially passionate about making flying matter for good and connecting young people with opportunities for a better future – including career paths in aviation!

5. Resilient beyond measure.

Our employees always go above and beyond—nights, weekends and holidays—to take care of our guests, each other and our communities. They never stop working to make Alaska the best we can be, including through a year that was anything but normal. Together, we go far.

Thank you!

Alaska’s Pre-Clear Program makes flying to Hawaii a breeze says guest & island native

Recently, I flew to Hawaii using Alaska’s Pre-Clear program to seamlessly get to the islands to help my baby sister move into her dorm room for her first year of college. I couldn’t miss out on this major milestone (and aloha, Hawaii!).

My two sisters and I are super close. My baby sis is 14 years younger than me so you can imagine what it was like as a teenager having to share the TV with a toddler—swapping MTV for baby Mozart and diaper duties before slipping away to dance class. Don’t get me wrong, the tot cramped my style, but it wasn’t long before our bond was deeper than any high school clique.

When it was time for her to go to college—during the COVID-19 pandemic nonetheless—I knew I had to be there (mindfully).

Left to right: My oldest sister, youngest sister and I with ‘Leahi’ in the background (aka ‘Diamond Head.’) ll Right: Mom and daughters.

Hawaii is the ‘Pre-tty-Clear’ choice to travel safe & mindfully

Alaska recently launched its Hawaii Pre-Clear program, empowering flyers with the ability to bypass airport screening upon arrival with an approved negative COVID-19 test. Pre-Clear is just one of the many features of Alaska’s Next-Level Care that provides guests with a safe, clean and mindful travel experience—it was super easy and made all the difference!

What is Pre-Clear? And, how do you get it?

Alaska’s Hawaii-bound guests can skip the line upon arrival in the Hawaiian Islands.

Get pre-cleared online in six easy steps:

1) Create a ‘Safe Travels profile’ at https://travel.hawaii.gov. Each traveling adult must create their own profile. You can add minors as additional travel members.

2) Enter your trip details. Add a trip for each leg of travel. A QR code will be needed for each leg of your trip—the QR code is key!

3) Upload your documents. First, upload your COVID test result. You are only able to upload a COVID-19 test result taken within 72 hours from the final leg of travel. If your test result is verified, the status of the document will show COVID Negative. Your given name must also match with what is on your gov. ID.

4) Log in to your account 24 hours before your departure to fill out the Travel Health Questionnaire.

5) Receive your QR code via email after filling out the questionnaire. IMPORTANT: Save your QR code to your phone or print it out to speed up the process at the airport.

6) Have the following things ready when you arrive at the airport:

  • Your QR code.
  • A valid government issued ID for each traveling adult.
  • If you have a quarantine exemption, bring your letter or proof of the exemption.
  • It’s also helpful to bring a physical copy of your test results to the airport for the screening process just in case technology fails you.

Once you’re screened at the airport, a gate agent will verify that your profile is updated and give you a pre-clear wristband. Your trip details will be updated under “trips” on your Safe Travels profile, which you can use to show your hotel and/or rental car company that you are exempt from Hawaii’s mandatory 10-day quarantine.

Guests with pending test results will not be able to be pre-cleared prior to departure and will have to quarantine upon arrival in Hawaii for 10 days, or the duration of your stay, whichever is shorter.

My “VIP” Pre-Clear experience

After booking my flight, I visited Alaska’s travel advisory page, where it explained the requirements for each island. Since we were going to Oahu, I learned I needed to take a COVID-19 test from a trusted partner within 72 hours before my Hawaii-bound flight. And since Alaska is all about care and ease, the page linked directly to a list of trusted COVID testing partners. From there, I was able to book my appointment faster than the time it might take you to nail down my Hawaiian middle name (it’s 20 letters long “Kuuipoikaheepueone”).

After booking an appointment to get tested, I went back to the advisory page to find the list of all of the following things I needed to do before my flight:

  • COVID test and results? Check.
  • Safe Travels profile? Check.
  • Required documents locked and loaded for the day of departure? Cheehu! (Pidgin English expression of excitement). Check!

I arrived at the airport about two hours early, anticipating the process might take some extra time, but it didn’t take long at all! I easily found the marked Pre-Clear line and went through the line quickly. My Safe Travels profile was verified by an Alaska AIrlines agent. After that, I was given my official Pre-Clear wristband, and made my way to security.

On board, it was smooth sailing. Every guest wore a mask (a travel requirement these days), and the crew did a fantastic job ensuring people stayed masked-up. From seatback cards to announcements and cute napkins, the message was clear; you can expect that Alaska will keep you safe.

As we deplaned, the crew instructed travelers where to go—if you had a Pre-Clear wristband you were instructed to follow the Pre-Clear path, where we met the National Guard to show off our “VIP” wristbands for quick and easy clearance. Overall, it was simple and effortless.

Be mindful and malama while in Hawaii

Pro tip: when you visit Hawaii, aim to shop local by scouting for a certified ‘Open With Aloha’ sign. Your money will go right back into local small businesses.

Over the next few days, we helped my little sister set up her dorm room, chowed down on ono (delicious) eats, and most importantly, we respected the islands through malama (the Hawaiian value of taking care, preserving, protecting). As Native Hawaiians, but especially as visitors, we must honor the land and culture.

One way we recognized malama was by taking the donor cultural tour at the Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center in Maunalua Bay, Oahu, to pay our respects to this ancient freshwater spring and educate ourselves on its critical role in the life cycle of many native species. It was humbling and inspiring, motivating my sisters and me to ground ourselves deeper into the roots of our aina (land) and kupuna (ancestors) compelling us to kokua (help) in any way we can.

“Freshwater meeting the ocean is the piko (navel string) of our land and sea,” said Scott Liloa, the fishpond’s kiai O Kanewai (guardian of the spring) who showed us around. “Preservation of this wahi pana (legendary place) is important for the well-being of the aina (land). We hope to preserve and protect this sacred place for all to learn and enjoy for many years to come.”

My sisters and I taking a moment of stillness as we soaked in the sacred space.

As it came time to head back home, I felt refreshed and deeply moved to share my experience and appreciation for Alaska for its commitment to safety and the places they fly.

Mahalo nui loa (thank you very much) for your malama and care, Alaska. Pupukahi i holomua (Unite to move forward.)

Book your dream getaway to Hawaii at alaskaair.com.

Hundreds of guests & employees fly on first Alaska 737-9 MAX flights

Today, Alaska Airlines is flying the first passengers on board its first 737-9 MAX aircraft. The aircraft will complete two roundtrip passenger flights between Seattle and San Diego, and between Seattle and Los Angeles.

We’ve eagerly waited for this day. It was a proud moment to board our newest 737 aircraft last week on one of our employee flights and fly it home,” said Alaska President Ben Minicucci. “This plane is a significant part of our future. We believe in it; we believe in Boeing and we believe in our employees.”

We’ve tested and verified all required and necessary processes to prepare the aircraft for passenger service. We’re ready to welcome you on board!

Since taking delivery of the aircraft in January, our teams have tested and verified all processes to prepare the aircraft for passenger service. We put the plane through its paces, which included flying it more than 19,000 miles and 50+ flight hours all over the country, including Alaska and Hawaii — proving to the FAA we can operate the plane safely.

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. Our pilot training program for the MAX is more extensive than what’s required by the FAA.

For us, if an aircraft is not safe, we won’t fly it, period.

Before the aircraft entered commercial service today, hundreds of employees from across the company flew the 737-9 MAX last week in Seattle and Los Angeles. See what it was like through a few of their eyes:

Video: Last week, customer service agents, maintenance technicians, flight attendants, reservations agents and others flew in from everywhere like Fort Lauderdale, San Jose and New York to experience the new plane.

Our maintenance technicians undergo a minimum 40 hours of training on the variations between the MAX and our existing 737 NG fleet, with certain technicians receiving additional specialized training.

We have high expectations and confidence that Boeing has made the required changes and necessary improvements to the MAX. With these enhancements and the FAA’s thorough inspection processes, this aircraft  meets our high safety standards. Learn more about our dedication to safety and our training programs for the MAX at alaskaair.com/737MAX.

Alaska staff writers Tricia Bruckbauer and Ray Lane contributed to this article.

Rai Adair is a dancer, voracious reader, world traveler—and in Alaska’s new TV commercial

Rai Adair’s mom knew her daughter would be a force of nature. On Rai’s third birthday, her mom signed her up for ballet classes to burn off her outrageous energy. Adair, now a Seattle-based flight attendant, danced as a toddler through her elementary years and into her teens, taking as many new classes she could get her toes in, ultimately culminating in a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Ohio State University.

Rai Adair began her career with Aer Lingus, based in Ireland, then later with Horizon Air, Alaska’s regional airline, and joined Alaska Airlines in 2011.

Adair’s love of dance took a back seat as she transitioned to a flight attendant. She began her career with Aer Lingus, based in Ireland, then later with Horizon Air, Alaska’s regional airline, and joined Alaska Airlines in 2011. It was at Alaska where she discovered a way to combine her passion and profession—becoming a leader of Alaska’s Flight Attendant Drill Team.

Alaska’s drill team is a grassroots effort, made up of 30 flight attendants, and is maintained by employee volunteers. The team participates (pre-COVID) in company events throughout the year across our network—practicing during layovers and coming together to put on amazing performances to represent Alaska!

“Dancing releases endorphins reduces stress and puts a smile on everyone’s face—even under a mask,” Adair says. “One of the best things about leading the drill team has been the opportunity to get to know my fellow flight attendants and other Alaska employees.”

Alaska’s Drill Team at the Torchlight Parade in Seattle, WA in 2019.

Dancing for safety

While 2020 and the pandemic meant the drill team couldn’t have its normal parades to rehearse for, Adair was able to stretch her creative muscles as a featured employee in a recent Alaska’s Safety Dance commercial.

“It was a little bit like getting the old gang back together,” Adair said. But as much fun as shooting the commercial was, Adair takes safety very seriously. Her focus each flight is enforcing our mask policy. “I want everyone on my flights to leave feeling safe,” she said.

Studies have shown the risk of air travel is low with the combination of mask wearing, diligent cleaning protocols and advanced filtration systems used on Alaska’s aircraft.

Books are a window to travel.

Adair enjoys sharing travel tips, often telling guests what they should see and do in different cities, and how a good book can help.

“My mother was a librarian, so I’ve loved books my whole life,” Adair says. She eschews travel guides and dives into fictional novels set in unique destinations. “Fiction can give you a taste of the spirit of the place that makes it even more fun to explore when you get there.”

Adair highly recommends getting lost—on purpose. She says the pandemic has made it harder to do that, but not impossible. It just takes a bit more planning, she says, like always having a blanket in her suitcase to set up an impromptu socially distanced picnic in a park.

On layovers, I take the whole day to get lost and really explore and find my way around–eating local food and finding cool shops and experiences along the way,” Adair says.

Sharing the love.

Adair’s own backyard provides inspiration for her wanderlust. Adair lives in Capitol Hill in Seattle. When unrest broke out in the city last June, and news reports filled her phone, she set out on foot, visiting Cal Anderson Park. She documented her outing on social media. There was a group giving out free food and water with a sign that said, “Kindness is our currency.” There was a community clinic in a truck. There were artists painting. There was a homeless man walking around talking to himself, and someone gave him a sandwich. And there was a selfie of Adair with an ice cream cone. Unlike what many headlines showed, there were plenty of moments of goodness too.

Adair enjoying sunshine—and social distancing—in Seattle, WA.

“I found a lot of like-minded people who wanted to find community-based solutions to the problems that our city is facing. I posted on Facebook and Instagram in the hopes that, in some small way, my own ground view of the situation would lead my friends and family to know the truth,” Adair says.

She says she is continually inspired by her fellow employees.

“Everywhere you look, you can find Alaska employees sharing their knowledge, creating community gathering spaces, and donating their time, energy, and money to causes all over the U.S. and the world. I love how awesome my coworkers are,” said Adair.

Adair in 2019.

If you’ve seen Adair in Alaska’s latest commercial, she has a dance tutorial for you to learn Alaska’s Safety Dance. See Adair’s dance lesson here.

Alaska Air Group commits to a more inclusive workforce by 2025

What we believe.

At Alaska, we believe every person deserves respect regardless of race, ethnicity, capability, age, gender or sexual orientation; we believe that aviation can enable opportunity; and we’re committed to advancing equity in all forms, with an initial focus on racial equity. While we have more work to advance diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) for our company and industry, today, we are setting specific and measurable goals to deliver on our commitments to racial equity.

Alaska’s values — own safety, do the right thing and be kind-hearted — are the foundation of who we are and what drives us to be the airline people love. Diversity, equity and inclusion are about valuing each person’s uniqueness and life experiences so the world can see, learn and benefit from diverse perspectives. Our success depends on it.” — Ben Minicucci, Alaska Airlines President and incoming CEO

Our commitments.

Alaska stands against hate, intolerance and racism of any kind. Our guests should always feel welcome on board and our employees deserve to feel safe and a sense of belonging when they come to work. This means racism and discrimination have no place on our airplanes or in our workplace. We commit to keeping all of our environments safe for everyone. We will ensure this by creating a workplace where we continue to improve and learn, and we will hold ourselves accountable by measuring and reporting our progress.

Our Goals.

Representation: By 2025, the racial diversity of our leadership will reflect the diversity of our frontline employees. Today we have 30%+ racial diversity within our frontline and manager levels compared to 16% racial diversity within our leadership levels. Our greatest opportunity is to increase the diversity of our leadership levels to reflect the diversity of our broader employee population.

We will increase racial diversity at all levels to at least 30% by:

  • Updating our recruiting strategies to diversify our talent pool.
  • Supporting the education pipeline that enables career pathways for diverse talent within aviation.
  • Creating leadership development and sponsorship programs that help us attract and retain more diverse talent.

Culture: By 2025, we will increase our company’s “Inclusion Index Score” in our employee engagement survey by 10 points, reflecting our commitment to cultivate a truly inclusive culture where everyone feels like they belong. Our work will involve our Business Resource Groups, who play a critical role in helping our leaders to better support our people. Through DEI training, we will create awareness, educate and reinforce policies that support equity and inclusion.

Public Leadership: By 2025, we will help create career pathways for at least 175,000 young people. We will do this by supporting programs like UNCF, which empowers and enables opportunity through a lens of racial equity. Our employees have also asked us to lean into our values through public leadership. We will use our voice and platforms humbly, knowing that we continue to learn and grow in partnership with community-based organizations dedicated to education and racial equity.

These goals represent the next step in our journey to be a better company. We still have a ways to go, but we are committed to doing the work, being transparent about our progress, listening to feedback and holding ourselves accountable,” says Minicucci.

What success looks like.

We remain committed to being transparent and open about our progress throughout this journey. Below are some examples of how we’ll know if we’re heading in the right direction:

  • All of our employees feel like they belong and can do their best work.
  • Our leadership team reflects the diversity of our frontline workgroups and the communities we serve.
  • Leaders are visible champions and role models of inclusive leadership.
  • Diversity, equity & inclusion are systematically integrated into our business processes and culture.
  • We maintain a zero-tolerance stance for harassment or discrimination of any kind in our workplace.
  • We will continue to strive for a safe space culture where employees feel empowered to have open and critical dialogue with their peers and leaders — creating a culture where we seek to understand.
  • The diverse communities we serve are actively supported, engaged and advocated for.
    The sky’s the limit.

We recognize the lengthy runway we have in front of us. We are on a journey to be better — for our guests, employees and communities we serve. We are committed to continuing this critical conversation, changing how we’ve always done things and sharing our progress to drive meaningful change inside and outside of our company.

Making progress.

  • Completed six employee listening sessions designed to learn about our employees’ real experiences and challenges to inform our path forward.
  • Conducted Courageous Conversations with employees and leaders throughout the organization where we learned about racism, how to discuss racism and how to take action against racism.
  • Enhanced our zero tolerance policy and training.
  • Launched racial equity training for all employees.
  • Embedded Diversity, Equity and Inclusion into our new Talent Acquisition system. This included completing a bias audit of work processes.
  • Require 50% diverse candidate slates and interview panels for senior leadership roles.
  • Updated our succession planning and talent review approach and processes to reduce bias and support Diversity, Equity and Inclusion practices.
  • Joined the Washington Employers for Racial Equity coalition.

Winter weather continues in Texas, mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions—check your flight status before going to the airport

February 17, 2021

Update 9 a.m.

Winter weather continues to impact airports in Texas, the mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. Conditions continue to be a challenge as ground crews work to clear snow and ice from our airplanes, though warmer weather is in the forecast. Guests should expect delays or cancellations and check the status of their flight before heading to impacted airports.

If your travel is affected, you should be notified via email or on Alaska’s mobile app if your flight(s) are canceled or delayed. We are also offering a flexible travel policy for those who would like to change their travel. 

Thanks again to all of our guests who worked with us on not-so-great travel days recently.

Winter weather impacting flights in Texas, mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions—check your flight status before going to the airport

February 16, 2021

Update 2 p.m.

Winter weather continues to impact many regions in the U.S. today, including: Texas, other parts of the South, the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast regions. Alaska, Horizon and SkyWest have canceled at least 25 flights today to impacted airports. More cancellations could occur in these locations tomorrow, weather permitting. 

In Texas, Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport will remain closed until at least 8 p.m. CST today. Crews are still working to clear thick patches of ice off of the airfield. Passengers are asked to refrain from coming to the airport. The heavy snow and ice throughout the state overnight has also resulted in cancellations to and from airports in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio with the exception of El Paso.

Our guests are being notified if their flights are canceled or delayed. We’re also offering a flexible travel policy for those who would like to change their travel. We encourage guests to check their flight status before heading to the airport in impacted locations.  

We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of our guests as we navigate through the wintery weather and will continue to closely monitor the forecasts and update you as more information becomes available.

Update 9 a.m.

Severe, record-breaking winter weather continues to impact a large swath of the nation today: across Texas, other parts of the South, the mid-Atlantic region and the Northeast. Alaska, Horizon and SkyWest have canceled at least 25 flights today to impacted airports.

In Texas, Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport will remain closed until at least 4 p.m. CST today. Ground crews are working tirelessly to have the airfield back in service. Passengers are asked to refrain from coming to the airport.The heavy snow and ice throughout the state overnight has also resulted in cancellations to and from airports in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio.

Winter weather affecting airports in Texas and Oregon—check your flight status before going to the airport

February 15, 2021

Update 2 p.m.

George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, TX will remain closed until at least 1 p.m. Tuesday Feb 16. Passengers are asked to refrain from coming to the airport. The unexpected accumulation of snow and ice throughout the state overnight has also resulted in cancellations to and from airports in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio.

In Portland, conditions continue to be a challenge as ground crews work to clear snow and ice from our airplanes, though warmer weather is in the forecast. 

Updated 11 a.m.

Winter storm triggers shutdown in Houston, cancellations in Austin, Dallas, San Antonio

Winter weather continues its wrath on the nation Monday, this time, dropping heavy snow and ice across Texas. Several cities in the Lone Star are experiencing record breaking snowfalls and fierce temperature lows. The unexpected accumulation of snow and ice throughout the state overnight has shut down Houston Airport and resulted in cancellations to and from airports in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio.

Snow and ice of this magnitude is extremely rare for Texas and the airports just don’t have the infrastructure to handle extreme weather like this,” said Todd Sproul, vice president of system operations at Alaska Airlines. “Coming off of a tumultuous weekend in the Pacific Northwest due to snow and ice, we recognize the obstacles our travelers are facing right now. Safety remains our top priority and we are doing everything possible to get travelers on their way.”

In Portland, guests should expect some flight delays and cancelations in and out of PDX until this afternoon, as ground crews work to clear snow and ice from our airplanes.

What to do if you’re traveling to/from Texas or Oregon:

  • Guests will be notified of any cancellations and their travel rescheduled via email or the Alaska Airlines app.
  • Travelers flying to or from these destinations should check the status of their flights before heading to the airport.
  • Impacted guests may change their travel plans, without incurring a change fee.

February 14, 2021

Update 5 p.m.

We’re starting to see improvements in Seattle as snowfall has turned into a rain/snow mix, which we can expect until early tomorrow morning. In Portland, we still have a significantly reduced number of departures in and out of PDX due to the freezing rain in the forecast for the rest of the evening. This is to help us ease congestion and with deicing efficiency.

Currently, our contact centers are experiencing longer than normal call wait times—thank you for your patience. To save some time, we encourage you to take advantage of our online change/cancellation options. While the weather seems to be improving, if you are traveling tomorrow, we recommend checking your flight status online before heading to the airport just to be on the safe side! 

Update 2 p.m.

Alaska Airlines continues to respond to inclement weather in the Pacific Northwest. Conditions in both Seattle and Portland continue to be a challenge though warmer weather is in the forecast.

What to do if you’re traveling to/from Sea-Tac or Portland:

  • Check your flight status online to see if your flight is impacted, before heading to the airport. 270 Alaska and Horizon flights have been cancelled today to help ease congestion and with deicing efficiency.
  • If your flight has been Impacted you should be notified via email or on our mobile app of any cancellations and travel rescheduled.
  • If you don’t have to travel today, consider changing your ticket on alaskaair.com. We’re waiving change fees and offering full refunds.
  • Be safe. If your flight hasn’t been canceled, leave extra time to drive to the airport.
Check your flight status

Operation summary: 

  • In Portland, we’ve significantly reduced the number of departures in and out of PDX due to the freezing rain in the forecast for the rest of the day. 
  • In Seattle, departures were reduced until noon Pacific time. We are running a relatively normal schedule for the day due to those proactive changes but guests should expect delays.

Update 10 a.m.

Alaska Airlines continues to respond to ongoing snowfall at its largest hubs. Due to overnight snow and freezing rain, we’ve canceled more than 250 Alaska and Horizon flights to help ease congestion and allow deicing operations to run more efficiently. In anticipation of additional cancellations this afternoon, guests can change or cancel flights at no additional cost with our flexible travel policy. We appreciate the patience of our guests during this difficult travel day and are everything we can to get all of our customers to their destinations while operating safely.

Operation update:

  • In Portland, we’ve significantly reduced the number of departures we’re allowing per hour in and out of PDX. We’re only allowing a limited number of flights to depart per hour, until at least noon, Pacific time.
  • In Seattle, departures have been reduced until at least noon Pacific time. We’re continuing to monitor flights this morning in and out of SEA.

We are closely monitoring the expected forecast, evaluating the flight schedule, and factoring in how much air traffic SEA and PDX can handle with limited visibility and deicing requirements to operate safely. We will continue to evaluate the schedule and evolving weather conditions. Impacted guests will be notified of any cancellations and their travel rescheduled.

Major snowstorms impacting Seattle and Portland—check your flight status before going to the airport

February 13, 2021

Update 3:30 p.m. — An update was made at 5:30 p.m. about Portland operation, see bullet. 

To help our guests impacted by winter weather in Seattle and Portland, Alaska is making it easier to change your trip with our peace of mind waiver that waives fare differences on top of zero change/cancel fees.

PNW Snow Event Travel Waiver

Please know our contact centers are experiencing hold times of more than four hours. We appreciate the patience of our guests during this difficult travel day and are everything we can to get all of our customers to their destinations while operating safely.

Heading into Sunday, another round of snow and winter weather is expected. We will be keeping a close eye on the weather system and will cancel flights as needed as safety is our number one priority. Impacted guests will be notified and their travel rescheduled. Guests should check the status of their flight prior to heading to the airport as many flights have been delayed or canceled.

Check your flight status

Here’s what you can expect this evening:

  • In Portland, we are running a limited operation this afternoon. We will pause all operations again this evening around 6 p.m. Pacific time due to freezing rain in the forecast.
  • Inbound and outbound operations in Seattle have been reduced to a limited operation.

Update 12:50 p.m.

Photo of a Horizon Air aircraft getting deiced at Portland International Airport.

As of 12:15 p.m. Pacific time, we’ve canceled around 400 flights due to winter weather in the Pacific Northwest. Our call centers are experiencing hold times of more than five hours. We appreciate the patience of our guests during this difficult travel day and are everything we can to get all of our customers to their destinations while operating safely.

Here’s what we know this afternoon:

  • In Portland, we hope to begin running a limited operation this afternoon. It’s likely we will pause all operations again this evening due to more winter weather in the forecast.
  • Inbound operations in Seattle are still being paused due to inclement weather and outbound operations out of Seattle have been reduced to a limited operation.
  • In both locations, our teams are working safely and efficiently to clear snow and deice aircraft.  
  • Guests are being notified if their flight is canceled. We’re also offering a flexible travel policy for those who would like to change their flights. 
  • Guests should check the status of their flight prior to heading to the airport as many flights have been delayed or canceled. Flights throughout the system, including those outside of Portland and Seattle, are being impacted.

Update 10 a.m.

Heavy winter storms hit the Pacific Northwest overnight. Roughly 6 to 10 inches of snow fell Friday evening and the wintery weather continues in the Seattle and Portland metro areas, reports the National Weather Service. 

As of 10 a.m. Pacific time, more than 200 Alaska Airlines flights into and out of Seattle and Portland have been canceled. More snow is expected in both locations throughout the day.  In Seattle, a temporary pause of the operation is in effect until 11 a.m. Pacific time. Our operations in Portland remain limited until further notice due to unsafe conditions at the airport, such as freezing rain. 

Our guests are being notified if their flight is canceled. We’re also offering a flexible travel policy for those who would like to change their flights. We encourage guests to monitor their flight status before heading to the airport on alaskaair.com or our mobile app.

Visit Alaska for wide open spaces and the Northern lights

Alaska is an extraordinarily beautiful place, with magnificent scenery and wildlife—and lots of wide open spaces to explore. Whether you are coming to see Alaska’s glorious glaciers, mountains or rivers or to experience world wonders like the northern lights, we’re sure a trip to Alaska will live up to your wildest dreams.

“We’ve been social distancing in Alaska for years.” — Scott Habberstad, resident of Alaska for 45 years.

As the least densely populated state in the U.S. (nearly 734,000 residents, over 660,000 square miles of land), Alaska is the perfect place for social distancing. Many Alaskans enjoy living there simply to “get off the grid” and many travelers, especially in 2021, are seeking and planning to visit to do the same.

Denali National Park and Preserve, United States

Because Alaska’s so big, it’s divided into five parts—Arctic, Interior, Southwest, Southcentral and Inside Passage—but don’t be overwhelmed, Alaska’s tourism website has many helpful tips and travel guides.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy and residents want to welcome visitors back in 2021 to roam big, wander wild and discover more.

Discover wide open spaces:

  • You can fly to the state’s largest city, Anchorage, and find yourself in the middle of the nearly 500,000-acre Chugach State Park within 30 minutes.
  • Alaska’s state capitol, Juneau, is also set within one of the largest intact rainforests in the world forest—16.7-million-acres to be exact!
  • Fairbanks, the largest city in Alaska’s Interior, is the gateway to the Arctic, including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve.

Train ride going from Seward to Anchorage, Alaska.

So you might be wondering, when it is safe to travel again, and what are the current COVID restrictions? Alaska has been focused on welcoming visitors to safely enjoy all the state has to offer. While not required, we encourage guests to arrive with a negative COVID test from our testing partners or be tested for (free) in one of the airports in Alaska. Before you go, we also recommend checking out the latest health and safety advisories for traveling to and within Alaska.

You can find even more information on what to explore by visiting the cities map or parks map and more inspo here—the possibilities are endless. And while Alaska & Alaska Airlines hope that the end of the pandemic is near, we hope you choose to social distance in Alaska for many years to come!

Book now. Mask up. Let’s Go!

*Some restrictions may apply to the Northern Lights fare sale.

A year without travel: How one traveler plans to *safely* put 2021 on the map

When I landed an internship with Alaska Airlines straight out of college and later a full-time job in communications, I felt like I won the lottery. Alaska opened up the world to me, just like it does for so many of its guests every day.

If you also love to travel, you can probably relate to how I felt in 2020 (completely, and utterly, aghast).

Though I traveled in high school and college some, it wasn’t until I worked for an airline that I realized just how much I loved it! Travel is both my greatest passion and my favorite hobby. Before the pandemic, I was traveling at least two to three weekends per month, almost always for fun.

Last year, I flew roughly 20,000 miles—about a third of what I would normally fly in a year.

From January through the beginning of March, I traveled mostly domestically until COVID-19 became a public health issue in the United States. Here’s where I visited:

A solo trip to Montreal, Quebec, Feb. 16, 2020

A weekend in Maui, Feb. 21, 2020

A sister’s trip to San Diego, Feb. 2, 2020

A weekend in Anchorage, Alaska, Feb. 28, 2020

A friend’s birthday in Loreto, Mexico, March 13, 2020

Before the world was turned on its head due to COVID, I had plans to go to Ecuador in June, a trip to Chile in the fall and my best friend and I were even planning a trip to Bali to celebrate my 30th birthday in September. Alas, I had to change my plans and go with the flow like everyone else.

Please take your seat … on the couch

The word “homebody” is not something I would ever use to describe myself. However, 2020 had a way of forcing us all to embrace staying home. Unfortunately, for me, I was unable to spend that time with my friends or family due to distance, which made things even worse. There were times where I felt like I lost my identity entirely.

My favorite things to do, besides being with my friends and family, is taking a quick trip to grab tacos in San Diego or jet off to Juneau, Alaska to explore the town.

While I was grateful to be healthy and safe in 2020, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss traveling.

Last summer, instead of traveling, I took long walks around neighborhoods in North Seattle, meticulously planning out what household chores I would do next and reminisce about old trips. I missed traveling so much, I even became one of those people who started referring to different rooms in the house by three-letter airport codes (living room = LIV, bedroom =BDR, etc.).

Don’t get me wrong–I was grateful for my summer exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest. I went on a lot of hikes, which were wonderful, but I still missed wandering the world.

Mt Fremont Lookout Trail, Mt. Rainier National Park

“I would have jumped on a plane to go just about anywhere.”

At the end of August, I volunteered to take a work trip to Spokane, Washington. When I boarded Horizon Air, Alaska’s regional airline, it felt like I was on my way to Tahiti! I was so excited to walk through the doors of Sea-Tac Airport, only this time, I had a mask covering my nose and mouth, and my travel accessories included a package of Lysol wipes and two bottles of hand sanitizer. But at this point, I would have jumped on a plane to go just about anywhere.

“Before yesterday, I hadn’t been on a plane in nearly six months. To say I’ve missed flying and traveling would be an understatement! It was so nice to be back in the air again yes! 😍 I’ve always been happiest when I’m on the go. Up next: Boise, Idaho! (Also, our planes are cleaner than ever!)” @mcginndo via instagram

Another flight was in store for me in 2020 (praise the travel gods). In September, my sister and I flew Alaska Airlines to Charleston, South Carolina to celebrate my 30th birthday. Though it wasn’t Bali, it felt amazing to fly again!

By June, Alaska’s safety program (Next-Level Care) had been well underway, which implemented over 100 different ways to maintain the highest standard of safety throughout your journey—from mask requirements, enhanced cleaning, hospital-grade HEPA filters onboard and more—we felt super safe and cared for from start to finish and I’m not just saying that!

So, what does travel look like in 2021?

If only I had a crystal ball that could tell me when life will get back to a sense of normal. For now, this globe trotter is only traveling to domestic destinations. I’m looking for places where I can spend a majority of my time outside and away from other people. Thankfully, there are a lot of national parks and outdoor getaways that Alaska serves, so there are plenty of options.

This is just one travel bug’s take on 2020 and travel right now, but I’m optimistic about becoming ungrounded in 2021.

Some final thoughts & travel tips:

In January, I had the opportunity to visit Maui, Hawaii with my sister for her birthday.

We did our research. When we were initially deciding where we wanted to go, we chose Maui because we wanted a warm location where we could spend the majority of our time outside.

We planned ahead. The state of Hawaii requires proof of a negative COVID-19 test from a trusted testing partner taken within 72 hours of departure. Alaska Airlines makes it very easy. I used Carbon Health and my sister got her test done through Costco. Alaska also pre-clears travelers to the Hawaiian Islands as part of the Hawaii Pre-Clear program, which meant we didn’t have to wait in line when we arrived and got to vacation sooner. You can learn more about the program at alaskaair.com/Hawaii-bound.

(Also, for a nearly touch-free travel experience, be sure to download Alaska’s mobile app.)

We masked up. I’ve recently started double masking when walking through airports and onboard flights as an extra safety precaution. I’m extremely comforted though knowing that the HEPA filters on Alaska Airlines are circulating air through the cabin every two to three minutes, so there’s always fresh air. (Alaska also does a phenomenal job of cleaning their aircraft. Check it out!)

In Hawaii, I also brought my mask with me everywhere I went, even to the beach, and put it on anytime I passed someone outside.

We had a wonderful time! No, not everything in Maui was open. But we did get in a couple of hikes (Waihe’e Ridge Trail was stunning as were the Lava Fields), spent a ton of time at the beach and I also ate my fair share of fish tacos! (Check out Paia’s Fish market in Kihei! They have some of the best.) Most restaurants are open for take-out or at a limited capacity. Just double check or call ahead before you go.

If you choose to travel, just make sure you take the necessary safety precautions and research the destination you’re headed to beforehand. And if you’re not ready, that’s okay too.

Alaska will be here when you are! Book your next adventure today at alaskaair.com.

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