You don’t need a copper mug to enjoy this sweet twist on the Mezcal Mule.
Easy to mix, this riff on the popular Moscow Mule, is designed to hit every note—sweet, tart, floral, hot, smoky—for any occasion. With a squeeze of lime, a ginger beer and Mezcal liquor, you can create the iconic Mezcal cocktail (if you’re 21+ or older that is) at home. Mezcal is a national spirit of Mexico made from any type of agave, it’s similar to tequila but has a slightly smokey flavor.
If you make it at home, shake up the Mezcal & lime juice in a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice. Pour over ice, top off with ginger beer or ale, and stir. Garnish with a slice or wedge of lime and enjoy — add a little zing by sprinkling the lime wedge with Taijin or chile powder.
Don’t use a shaker if you’re making a non alcoholic version (use all the ingredients except the Mezcal) —the carbonation will have a party of its own!
What you’ll need:
1.5 ounces Mezcal, like Prolijo Mezcal Blanco
5 ounces ginger beer or ginger ale
1 ounce lime juice
Lime wheel, to garnish
Tajin (chile pepper-lime-salt seasoning) or chile powder, to garnish
Last week, we announced guests will be expected to wear their own mask throughout the airport and flight experience starting May 11. To help with this, we tapped Seattle couture designer Luly Yang who’s behind our new uniforms, to show you how to make your own mask.
Luly Yang debuting Alaska Airlines custom uniform collection.
Luly’s got you covered with these simple steps below — no sewing machine necessary.
What you’ll need:
Cotton cloth (T-shirt, pillowcase, etc.) suggested size: 15″W X 13″H
Hair ties or rubber bands
Two safety pins
Scissors
1. Place the fabric on a clean, flat surface.
2. Fold top and bottom section to midline.
3. Fold bottom half over to create a pleat.
4. Ensure there is a zig-zag shape along the sides.
5. Slide the fabric into hair ties and position to complement the dimensions of your face.
6. Pin inner layers to secure the fabric.
(Ensure that the pin does not show on the outer and inner-most layers.)
Ta-da! You’re Finished.
Once the mask is on, you can adjust the fit on your face by pulling the top and bottom slightly away from each other.
Want to sew your own mask? Try out Luly’s custom face mask pattern using this link.
Note: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises: “the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.” – from the CDC website.
From masks to airports and aircraft cleaning, safety is our top priority
These days Alaska Airlines may look a little different when you fly. From our check in counters to our aircraft, you’ll notice changes to ensure the health and safety of our guests and employees. From social distancing stickers on the floor to our guests & employees wearing masks, we want you to know our care is never cancelled.
Masks
To align with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations and to keep our guests and employees safe, masks will be mandatory for all our guests. Additionally, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air employees who cannot maintain six feet of physical distance during interactions with guests or co-workers have been required to wear masks since May 4. This includes pilots, flight attendants and customer service agents.
Starting August 7, all Alaska passengers will be required to wear a cloth mask or face covering over their nose and mouth (except for children under the age of two) – with no exceptions. Cloth masks or face coverings will be required on all flights, at ticket counters, throughout gate areas and any other location where Alaska conducts business.
Guests will be expected to bring their own mask and will be required to wear it throughout the airport and flight experience. Additional supplies will be available for those who forget their face masks. Specific details about the face mask requirements will be shared with guests in pre-trip communications before their date of travel. The temporary policy will be reevaluated periodically as guidance evolves.
Safety is our most important value at Alaska Airlines, and thanks to our employees we have an incredibly safe operation. In light of COVID-19, we’re in a new era and are continually updating our safety standards to better protect our guests and employees. For now, this includes wearing masks, which is another layer of protection that can reduce the spread of the virus,” said Max Tidwell, Alaska Airlines’ vice president of safety.
We’ve always had robust cleaning processes on our aircraft and will continue using disinfectants that use of high-grade, EPA registered disinfectants to sanitize critical touchpoints like tray tables, seat belts, overhead bins, armrests and lavatories, etc.
As an extra level of precaution, we’ve implemented an enhanced aircraft cleaning process between our flights that are on the ground longer than an hour at our hubs. We’ve also expanded the use of electrostatic sanitizing spray to disinfect aircraft at all of our hubs.
At the airport – mind your wingspan!
We’re installing decals to remind people to ‘Mind Your Wingspan,’ at each one of our airports where we fly. The stickers, spanning 6 feet apart, can be found at our ticketing counters, baggage drops, customer service centers and gate areas. The Alaska branded stickers will be deployed systemwide over the coming weeks.
On the plane
Through July 31, 2020 and beyond, we’re limiting the number of guests on our flights and blocking select seats. Families or large groups may request to sit together. Learn more here.
Finally, we’ve also updated our onboard service to limit the interaction between our flight crews and guests. You’ll also notice we have removed all seatback contents, except for the safety card, to limit the spread of germs.
Safety remains our top priority at Alaska Airlines – for you, and for our employees. We will continue to evaluate best practices to ensure the health and safety of our guests and employees.
Since making the difficult decision to reduce our flying due to the coronavirus, we’ve been looking at other ways to utilize passenger aircraft to carry essential goods to people and businesses who need it most.
On any given day before the coronavirus dramatically changed travel, we carried about 400,000 pounds of cargo per day in the “bellies” of passenger aircraft – where luggage is stored. By utilizing passenger aircraft as freighters we’ll be able to backfill some of 45% loss in capacity across Lower 48 and Hawaii where passenger flights have been reduced by 80%.
“We’re determined to make sure our nation’s supply chain stays robust and resilient, connecting critical cargo quickly to the communities we serve,” said Torque Zubeck, managing director of Alaska Air Cargo. “Our teams have been working hard to identify the safest and most effective processes to increase our cargo capacity as quickly as possible.”
Trying to pull off a passenger-to-freighter operation is no easy task. A team of 40 people have been working on the effort since March. If approved by the FAA, we could begin flying passenger aircraft dedicated to cargo within the United States as early as May.
We aim to utilize the passenger cabin on five Boeing 737-900 aircraft – placing cargo boxes, mail and other items on and under seats, in overhead bins and in closets – creating room for an additional 13,500 pounds of cargo than a traditional passenger flight. In total, each flight will carry up to 30,000 pounds, including belly capacity.
The crew for these cargo flights will consist of two pilots and two flight attendants. The flight attendants will be seated in the main cabin to make sure the cabin is safe and secure and provide fire suppression if required, as passenger cabins do not have automated fire suppression systems like cargo compartments.
Our cargo customers depend on us as much as we do them to fuel our supply chain with life-saving medical treatments, medical supplies and perishable foods that have a short shelf life,” said Rick Bendix, cargo marketing and business development program manager. “With the decrease in cargo capacity, this innovative approach allows to meet the demand of cargo customers whether “mom and pop” businesses or large freight forwarders who are working tirelessly to keep the critical goods moving.”
This week, a team of employees tested loading an aircraft, securing the shipments and mapping a safe and viable process for leveraging passenger cabin space to ship critical cargo. Protecting the areas of the passenger cabin where cargo will be stowed was incorporated in the test to ensure the passenger aircraft can easily return to carrying our guests when needed.
According to Anthony Johnson, Alaska Airlines senior engineer, the overhead bins are designed for stowage of carry-on luggage and are durable. However, we need to protect the seats by removing the life vests from under the seats and covering the leather with a protective fabric.
Our roots set us up for success
We’ve been delivering cargo to the state of Alaska for 88 years since our founding as McGee Airways. For some pilots, such as First Officer Bill Jacobson, flying the freighters is especially rewarding because he gets to see the impact cargo has on Alaska communities.
Alaska Airlines First Officer Bill Jacobson @alaska737
“Cargo is hugely important in the state of Alaska. We’re really the lifeline to many communities and bring things necessary to everyday life, like groceries, medicine and machine parts, just to name a few,” Jacobson said. “You usually meet the plane at one of our cargo buildings. When we’re walking through the cargo facilities, I’m often in awe of the variety of goods we’re hauling all over the state.”
These remote communities aren’t always connected by roads to the outside. When the grocery store is out of fresh produce or milk in remote communities in the state of Alaska, residents look to Alaska Airlines to deliver the supplies.
“Our cargo customers depend on us as much as we do them to fuel our supply chain with life-saving medical treatments, medical supplies and perishable foods that have a short shelf life,” said Rick Bendix, cargo marketing and business development program manager. “With the additional aircraft, we’ll be able to move these goods, as well as e-commerce orders, quickly and efficiently across the country keeping supply chains flowing and supporting our logistics and freight forwarding customers.”
737-700 freighters are cargo-only aircraft that can carry up to 40,000 pounds of cargo. Photo taken by FO Bill Jacobson.
Alaska Air Cargo Facts
By the numbers:
Cargo planes (freighters): 3 Boeing 737-700s
Cargo flown annually: 200 million+ pounds
Seafood flown: 30 million+ pounds per year
Destinations in Alaska we serve: 19 of 20 cities, only two connect by road
Around 60% of our cargo business touches the state of Alaska in some way
Total destinations served in 2019: 100+
Freighter flights flown in 2019: 5,487
Typical cargo includes:
E-commerce goods – such as books, clothing, electronics and more
Mail
Perishables – short shelf life/fragile items like herbs, lettuce and flowers
Seafood and shellfish
Medical – medicine, equipment and lab samples
Equipment – such as critical parts to repair a fishing boat plane or logs to build bedroom furniture
Key customers:
Small businesses
Seafood companies and distributors
Medical labs and couriers
Freight forwarders
Logistics companies
Alaska Airlines launches #MillionMealsChallenge to feed families left hungry by Coronavirus – you can help!
This is a difficult time for many, and food security is a challenge across our communities. Last week, the United Nations projected that because of COVID-19, the number of people facing severe food insecurity worldwide could double to 265 million. And here in the United States, unprecedented levels of job displacement and supply chain disruption have created a crisis for countless families, many seeking help for the first time in their lives.
Supporting the growing demands on our local food banks is a critical need and isn’t new for Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. Every year, our employees rally together in a “Pack the Plane” food drive and collected enough donations to fill an equivalent of over 20 cargo aircraft (providing almost a half-million meals) last year. During our inaugural “Week of LIFT” of volunteering in our communities last October, our employees worked at several West Coast food banks to pack meals and sort goods to help feed those in need.
Alaska Airlines kitchen partners donated 273,000 meals to community food banks in 16 states, including our hometown partners Northwest Harvest and Food Lifeline.
So, when we found ourselves with fresh food on hand following the suspension of our inflight service last month, we worked with our kitchen partners to donate 273,000 meals to community food banks in 16 states, like our hometown partners Northwest Harvest and Food Lifeline.
That sparked an idea about how to further support families have the food they need to thrive. Last week, the Alaska Airlines Foundation, an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit, pledged $200,000 to provide 896,000 meals to 14 local food banks across Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California and Hawaii. Together, we’ve donated over 1 million meals, but hope to double our impact by inviting our employees and guests to join us, if they can.
“This crisis has changed so much in our country – but the values of our employees have not. They and our partners, including our Chief Football Officer Russell Wilson and Ciara, Starbucks, and many others inspire us to do more,” said Diana Birkett Rakow, Alaska Airlines Vice President of External Relations. “Between now and the end of May, we’re encouraging our guests, partners and employees to join us in the #MillionMealsChallenge to help fuel another 1 million meals for local food banks feeding our communities.”
The Alaska Airlines Foundation was founded in 1998 as a way to support the communities we serve through ups and downs – including during lean times like these. “We’re thankful to have foundation funds to be able to directly support people who need it most,” said Birkett Rakow, who also serves as chair of the Alaska Airlines Foundation board of directors.
Join the #MillionMealsChallenge
Give to your local food bank or one of our nation’s hunger relief partners. Here are some of ours:
It’s National Parks Week! Even when you’re parked at home, you can still get your dose of wide open spaces. Adventure through the Olympic trails, go on an underwater exploration of the Dry Tortugas or take in the view at Yellowstone’s hot springs.
Don’t trail behind––check out our virtual guide to the national parks below!
The world around us has changed dramatically, and many lives upended. People have lost loved ones or livelihoods, kids are trying to learn remotely, businesses have had to close or reset their business model. Together, we feel that loss and are deeply grateful for essential workers: our employees, first responders, health care workers, retail personnel, caregivers and childcare providers working through this time.
And yet, there are some things that do not change – spring is coming, the need for human connection and basic life supports, learning, the beauty and draw of the outdoors.
Sustainable (adj.): 1. capable of being sustained [maintained at length without interruption or weakening]; 2. of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.”
I’ve been thinking a lot about this definition lately. It’s Earth Month, and as we honor the planet – its priceless natural resources, people and communities, and the critical work required to preserve it – our focus is also on ensuring that we and others can be sustained for a long time to come.
I am impressed by our tremendous employees who have faced many challenges together throughout our history – from the aftermath of 9/11 to the financial crisis – and with each one, have emerged stronger. Now, facing one of our greatest challenges, we’re inspired to see the values of our employees shine, alongside those of friends and neighbors stepping up to support one another. At Alaska Airlines, our values grew from our roots 88 years ago in Alaska: caring, connecting people, supporting communities and stewarding resources responsibly.
This Earth Month we’re focused on safety, on jobs, and on sustaining the places our employees and guests call home. Making flying matter, even when we’re flying less:
Safety of our employees and guests is our first priority, and in the face of COVID-19 that means enhanced aircraft cleaning procedures and other measures such as blocking middle seats to allow more social distancing, limiting interaction between flight crews and guests, and removing seatback contents (except the safety card) to limit the spread of germs.
Flying health care providers for free when they’re #GoingtheExtraMile to work where they’re most needed, in partnership with Angel Flight West. And we’re donating a free roundtrip ticket to each of those health care passengers for a little R&R when it’s time.
Donating resources like unused fresh and packaged food to local food banks, and retired entertainment tablets to people in recovery centers, addresses immediate needs.
Today, we know that there’s limited time to make significant change. COVID-19 has brought to life the profound impact of global change, and the fact that we’re all connected. At Alaska, even as we focus today on response to and recovery from COVID-19, we also continue work to address our impacts in carbon, waste, water, and specific efforts like sustainable fuels. It has been painful to make changes like pausing our inflight recycling program to reduce the chance of spreading germs – but we, like you, are adapting.
Horizon Flight Attendant sorting recycling during service – photo taken in 2018 by Ingrid Barrentine.
On this 50th anniversary of Earth Day, we’re grateful for our flight attendants who started the nation’s first inflight recycling program, years ago. We’ll get back to it. In the meantime, please don’t forget to #FillBeforeYouFly – or anytime.
What keeps us going today is caring for each other, for our guests and our communities—we want to be here, to continue these relationships, to connect, long into the future.
Flying matters, and it will play an essential role in enabling us to reconnect when this crisis is over. For now, we will continue to help our communities turn the corner together.”
Last night, my family and our neighbors had a “driveway block party.” We played Pictionary between easels 20 feet apart, strummed guitars, and my kids rode their bikes around the block.
Driveway Block Party, April 2020
The evening made me realize two things: first, how much I needed connection with friends and family. And second, on a sunny spring Seattle evening, surrounded by cherry blossoms and tulips, how much I needed to be outdoors.
We will keep working for both, and for you. Thank you for being a part of Alaska Airlines, and for inspiring us to sustain on all fronts.
How health care workers can fly for free on Alaska Airlines
We’re beyond grateful for medical workers everywhere who are going the extra mile to keep people safe and healthy. In appreciation of their heroic efforts, we’re giving each medical worker flying on us to provide coronavirus support a roundtrip ticket for some much-needed R&R in the future.
Recently, Alaska Airlines launched a program to fly medical workers for free to places where they are needed most to respond to the COVID-19 crisis.
#GoingTheExtraMile is our way of recognizing individuals who are going above and beyond.
If you would like to donate your miles to help transport doctors, nurses and other medical personnel, visit the Alaska Airlines Disaster Relief Fund.
How health care workers can fly for free on Alaska Airlines:
What are the criteria for individuals or groups to be considered for this program?
You must be an essential health care worker (nurse, doctor, LPN, surgeons, etc.) and be in need of travel for humanitarian flight support. Groups can only be considered if traveling with 10 or less people per organization.
If I am a health care worker, how do I book my free flight?
To request a flight, visit our partner Angel Flight West’s website or call AFW directly at (310) 390-2958. They will verify if you meet the criteria and book your flight on Alaska Airlines.
What type of information do I need for booking my flight?
Besides the standard information required for commercial travel, please be prepared to provide supporting documents and contact information from the placement agency or hospital/organization you are associated with or directly supporting.
What type of ticket will be booked?
The ticket booked will be non-refundable, roundtrip, for travel between April and June.
Do I need to pay for my bags?
No, Alaska Airlines will cover your first four bags free of charge.
Where can I fly?
We are flying health care workers to any place Alaska Airlines flies in the United States.
How quickly can I fly?
We ask that you contact Angel Flight West at least three days prior to your travel.
When will I receive my free R&R ticket?
Tickets will be sent by mail once Alaska’s Airlines response to COVID-19 flight program is closed, the tickets are valid up to one year.
Would Alaska Airlines reimburse me if I paid my own way for travel and found out about the medical provider travel program later? No. You would need to go through our approval and booking process with Angel Flight West prior for the travel.
When travel isn’t an option, there’s #CouchGetaways. Join us every week for a virtual tour of our favorite Alaska destinations. This week, iconic SoCal city, San Diego.
Shannon Hansen, an Anchorage-based family nurse practitioner, packed a photo of her family and a pillow with a picture of her dogs (a gift from her daughter) before embarking on a 21-day assignment in a New York hospital to help treat patients with COVID-19.
She says she’s always had an overwhelming desire to help others and felt called to help in a big way now. “I am headed to New York to serve in any way possible to help lighten the burden of this terrible virus. Patients are alone without their family and I want to help relieve their fear and provide the best care possible.”
Desiree Cook, also a registered nurse and pediatric nurse practitioner in Anchorage, is joining her on the assignment. She says they were very eager to go to New York City as this is the area that needs immediate medical support.
We are happy and humbled to be a part of something so much bigger than us.” – Cook
Shannon Hansen and Desiree Cook on their way to New York.
The Anchorage residents met during their first semester in college in Knoxville, Tennessee in 2008 and have been best friends ever since.
With the help of our long-time giving partner Angel Flight West (AFW), Alaska Airlines flew Hansen and Cook together on Wednesday from Anchorage to New York.
“I am feeling very blessed to have the ability to offer any assistance that I possibly can while in New York,” Hansen said. “I am humbled by the generosity and support that is being provided by Alaska Airlines and Angel Flight West.”
We empathize with essential workers who are risking their lives in the fight against COVID-19. Especially, medical workers whose sacrifices in this pandemic are unlike anything most of us can comprehend. That is why in tandem with AFW we are flying medical workers to areas hit hard by the virus.
Alaska Airlines is providing 1 million LIFT miles to AFW to fly medical staff free of charge to different locations across the United States to help relieve overwhelmed medical care systems responding to COVID-19. We will continue to monitor and fly medical workers where they’re needed most and do everything we can to support their heroic efforts.
“We are inspired by the care and courage of Desiree and Shannon toward the patients affected in New York,” says Josh Olsen, Executive Director, Angel Flight West. “We’re proud to further partner with Alaska Airlines to help be part of the solution to the COVID-19 crisis by arranging flights for these nurses and other medical personnel relocating to help areas highly impacted by the pandemic. Even in the most difficult of times, Alaska Airlines continues to provide access to those most in need of transportation to/from healthcare in the communities they serve.”
Thank you for your service
Desiree Cook
The pledges Cook and Hansen are making are not being taken lightly. Cook says she’s thankful that she and Hansen both have supportive families.
“I will miss my husband, kids, and dogs the most. I have a happy 7-year-old boy, a full-of-energy, 2-year-old girl, and two adorable dogs,” said Cook. “I will miss the little things such as morning breakfast and bedtime routines with them.”
Since she can remember, Cook says she wanted to be part of the medical field.
“There has never been a specific reason or incident that led me in this direction, it is just a part of who I am and a calling I know I have always been meant to do. I honestly can say I have the best and most rewarding job,” she said.
From all of us at Alaska, we’re in awe of essential workers and medical workers like Hansen and Cook for their remarkable, unprecedented service during this trying time. Thank you, stay safe.
How to get involved
For information on donating miles to the Alaska Airlines Disaster Relief Pool, visit our website.
Interested medical workers should reach out to Angel Flight West directly. Angel Flight West will initiate a screening to determine eligibility.
For information on donating miles to the Alaska Airlines Disaster Relief Pool,