This weekend, our annual Fantasy Flight arrived at the “North Pole” to bring smiles and holiday cheer to 65 children, many of whom live in shelters or transitional housing.
For most of the kids, it was their first time on an airplane. Flight 1225 (as in “Dec. 25”), not only departed Spokane, Washington for Santa’s hometown at 4:45 p.m. this Saturday, but we also threw an elaborately decorated party – a true winter wonderland.
For children who don’t have much, the special treatment provides a momentary lift this time of year – and memories to last a lifetime. Since 2008, Alaska Airlines has sponsored the annual Fantasy Flight, with many Alaska and Horizon employees volunteering as “elves” ready to make magic happen.
Nonstop to the North Pole
The journey begins to Spokane International Airport, where each child is given a “passport” to the North Pole and a personal “elf” that takes them under their wing.
Volunteers are required to dress in their best elf-wear and develop their individual elf history to help the kids believe their North Pole adventure is real. The flight crew usually dons Santa hats or antlers. The annual event is organized by nonprofit Northwest North Pole Adventures, and numerous companies donate jet fuel, food, toys and other items.
After passing through airport security, the children are presented with backpacks and are greeted at the Alaska boarding area with festive music and food.
A young traveler pulls her elf down the jet way to their plane to the North Pole from the Spokane Airport December 14, 2019. Most of the children on the flight had never been on a plane before. (Photo by Rajah Bose)Elves and young travelers play games and dance at gate before their Fantasy Flight to the North Pole at the Spokane Airport December 14, 2019. (Photo by Rajah Bose)Elves and young travelers take-off on their Fantasy Flight to the North Pole at the Spokane Airport December 14, 2019. (Photo by Rajah Bose)
Just before it’s time to board the plane to the North Pole, the elves begin shouting, “We’re going home! We’re going home!” The children and elves board an Alaska jet given the call sign Santa 1, and the plane departs into the sky above Spokane.
Halfway through the 40-minute flight, the children are instructed to close their window shades and recite a magical chant that would allow them to enter Santa’s airspace. Minutes later, they arrive at the “North Pole” – in reality, a spruced-up hangar at the end of the Spokane airfield. It has been transformed into a glittering fantasyland of Christmas fun with decorations, games, jugglers, magicians, face painters, a Polar Express train set, and fancy sugar cookies and other sweets.
Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive, and each child gets to visit Santa and receive a gift they previously requested in a wish letter. And, the list is checked to ensure every young traveler is in Santa’s book under ‘nice’.
Memories for a lifetime
While happy spirits fill the air, there are many poignant reminders of the difficulty each child faces. One year, after visiting a booth to select pajamas, a young girl put on her purple PJs as fast as she could, near tears, because she’d never owned pajamas before.
“The most magical part of Fantasy Flight is how happy it makes the kids,” said one of our elves. “Not only do we help them reach the North Pole where there is literally unlimited ice cream, hot chocolate, and cookies, but they get to be the craziest, happiest kids they want to be because a lot of them haven’t been able to be kids at home.”
Children say goodbye to their elves at the end of a long day of travel to the North Pole and back to Spokane. December 14, 2019. (Photo by Rajah Bose)
As the night winds down, the children gather around to hear Mrs. Claus read “The Polar Express,” the beloved story about a magical train that takes a group of children on a journey to the North Pole to meet Santa.
Fantasy Flight in Spokane, Washington and the North Pole December 14, 2019. (Photo by Rajah Bose)
“Most of the little ones arrive at the airport a little timid and shy and by the end of the night they are screaming and smiling and running around with their new toys,” said one of Santa’s helpers. “Seeing their faces light up when they see Santa and Mrs. Clause is unforgettable.”
More photos of this year & past Fantasy Flights
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Ground Support Leader Tim Jordan is always ready for a challenge
Last year, Tim Jordan’s boss sent him an email asking if he had ideas for motorizing the heavy boarding ramps for Horizon’s Embraer 175 aircraft, which required four people per ramp to manually move into place. “I emailed him right back with, ‘Challenge accepted,’ ” says Jordan, whose Boise-based Ground Support Leader position involves maintaining and repairing equipment used on the ground to support aircraft, from bag carts, belt loaders and de-icers to tugs, ramps and stairs.
He leads a Ground Support Equipment (GSE) team of four technicians who have responsibility for equipment in Boise, Sun Valley, Reno and Sacramento.
Tim Jordan.
His solution to the ramp issue was an electric dolly, akin to those used to move RVs around driveways and yards, that attached to a ramp modified with a hitch. Now one person, plus a guiding spotter, can operate the setup. “I got a lot of thank-yous from busy agents who’d had to help push ramps into position,” he says.
Jordan has conceived and implemented many ideas to improve the safety and efficiency of ground equipment over his 12-plus years at Horizon. He and his team are also known to go beyond their jobs to help out by loading and unloading bags or shoveling snow.
“What GSE does affects other people’s jobs,” he says. “We are a dedicated, professional team that takes satisfaction in giving others safe and reliable equipment so they can do their jobs and make sure our guests have the best experience.”
A self-described “gearhead,” Jordan enjoyed figuring out how things worked when he was a child. He did maintenance-and-repair jobs in the motorsports and resort industries before joining Horizon. “People I knew who worked there gave the airline great reviews, and it also had medical and travel benefits, which was important since I have a wife and two daughters. I love what I do here. I like the camaraderie, and being creative and solving problems.”
Questions & Answers
What do you enjoy for recreation? I’ve raced motorcycles since I was a teenager and ATVs since I was in my 20s. I like to rebuild vintage motorcycles and ATVs—the vintage-cycle motocross scene has gotten very popular—and I try to improve their performance. My goal is to build things I can ride. I’m not big on shiny showy things. I’m big on fast things.
What community service are you involved in? I like to help people. I’ve done things such as building a handcycle for a young man in a wheelchair, and creating a pedal wheelchair to help a stroke survivor with rehab. I volunteer as a ski instructor for an organization that fosters adaptive recreation, and I’ve tweaked some equipment for them. I assemble dental equipment for a dental day of service in my community. I get the most satisfaction in my life when I am making other people’s lives better.
What do you take with you on a trip? A Horizon T-shirt, so I can wear it to take pictures in different places, and a drawing notepad and drafting set, so that I can draw and sketch my next inventions.
What are philosophies you live by? Follow the golden rule. And a quote some attribute to Abraham Lincoln: “I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.” That applies to work. At the end of the day, I want to be proud of what I did, and that’s doing the right thing.
Praise for Tim
“Tim delivers performance and owns safety. He has a unique gift to anticipate and problem-solve through complex issues. He cares about people and strives to provide the best for our employees. He goes above and beyond to achieve the best results while always putting safety first. He identifies items that need improvement, and designs and produces solutions, all to ensure our people are safe and cared for. Outside of work, Tim uses his talents and ingenuity to help others.” —Matt P., Horizon Vice President of Station and Inflight Operations, Seattle
Horizon Air employees such as Timothy Jordan are the reason for our excellence. Join us in creating an airline people love. Visit horizonair.jobs.
Seattle Chocolate: “A culinary journey around the world”
We are telling the stories behind some of the foods and drinks guests can enjoy inflight, highlighting companies whose sustainable business practices help Alaska “Fly Greener.” These businesses also offer unique experiences in West Coast destinations we love to visit. Today, we are featuring Seattle Chocolate, whose truffles are included in Alaska’s fruit and cheese platters – the most popular item on the inflight menu. Their jcoco-branded bars are also thank-you gifts for Mileage Plan MVP Gold members. The Seattle Chocolate factory celebrates the magic of chocolate-making in its daily tours – and just in time for holiday gifts, the company’s anniversary party and sale is coming up Dec. 12.
The Seattle Chocolate factory R&D lab has conjured flavors inspired by travels to Peru and Mexico – but the team’s creative ideas for chocolate bars can come from anywhere. Even a salad.
“The people drawn to work here are naturally innovative,” says Jean Thompson, owner and CEO of Seattle Chocolate since 2002 – and the “J” in the company’s jcoco line of culinary-inspired chocolate bars. “For jcoco, we strive to include whole ingredients that are worthy of a fine restaurant’s menu and combine them with a chocolate that complements and enhances their natural flavors. Our Fig Pistachio bar was absolutely inspired by a delicious salad!”
And jcoco’s newest flavor actually traces its origin to a flight on Alaska Airlines. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, an Alaska state representative from Sitka, was one of the Mileage Plan elite members who received a jcoco Bali Sea Salt Toffee bar inflight last year. Kreiss-Tomkins wrote to Thompson – “I like chocolate. I love your product.” – and urged her to consider sourcing sea salt from Sitka’s Alaska Pure Sea Salt company.
Thompson thought “Why not?” Her team developed the bar, and a panel of Alaska Airlines guests were invited to the taste test. In January, the limited-edition Alaska Smoked Sea Salt dark chocolate jcoco bars will make their inflight debut. “It’s a nod to Alaska– to the airline and the state,” Thompson says. “It’s a fun and delicious Pacific Northwest collaboration.”
Seattle Chocolate and Alaska Airlines, whose headquarters are just a few miles apart, have been partners since 2013 – a relationship Thompson says is strengthened by the companies’ shared values. “Both companies care a lot about sustainability, philanthropy, sourcing local and place a high priority on customer service,” she says.
Thompson’s office is just steps away from the factory floor, where a mural of Lucille Ball in her chef’s hat greets touring visitors like a patron saint – and samples can be savored while watching truffle centers march under a chocolate waterfall. The CEO took time this fall to reflect on the challenges of running a chocolate company, the impetus to incorporate sustainable business practices into the operation and the joys of creating a product that reflects her own tastes and passions.
You were an early investor in Seattle Chocolate in the 1990s – but when you became CEO in 2002, you had no experience in running a company. Was it challenging to suddenly be in charge?
Jean Thompson: “Seattle Chocolate was the first manufacturing facility, or warehouse other than Costco, I had ever stepped foot in. I had no idea how hard it would be, and ignorance and optimism were my friend. I was the target audience – about 40 years old, a huge chocoholic and right in the sweet spot of who were trying to target. I thought, ‘How hard can it be?’ And that was all it took to take the leap. I’ve always been a bit of a risk-taker, and we really didn’t have anything to lose. I also did not have anybody to answer to as the sole owner of the company, which was very helpful to me. I only had financial accountability to myself.”
Your background from Microsoft was on the marketing and communications side. What was it like to learn to lead a manufacturing company?
Thompson: “I still have passion around design and marketing – but the manufacturing was interesting and challenging because there’s always a problem or hiccup to solve. I get a lot of satisfaction from the fact that we are manufacturing here in Tukwila and providing jobs for 75 families; that feels really good.”
Most of the wrappers on the Seattle Chocolate truffles are now compostable – and next year, they all will be. How did it become important to you to make factory operations more eco-friendly?
Thompson: “I went to Brazil on a cocoa exploration, and I learned that the palm oil which we were using in our truffles to make that soft center was actually the most devastating thing to the rainforest. I was mortified. I immediately went back to the factory and switched to coconut oil. Once I became aware of what we were doing to the planet, I couldn’t turn a blind eye and do nothing.”
You introduced the premium jcoco bars in 2012. What influenced you to craft a culinary-focused style of chocolate?
Thompson: “It was at the tail end of the recession, and we didn’t want to shy away from providing consumers with a high-end premium chocolate that would be an affordable everyday luxury that also took consumers on a culinary journey around the world. Our Black Fig Pistachio bar is a nod to the Middle East, the Quinoa Sesame was inspired by a trip to Peru and the Edamame Sea Salt bar was a result of a trip to Japan.”
How did you come up with jcoco’s mission to give back to the community?
Thompson: “Chocolate is America’s favorite flavor and people buy it every day. We wanted to take advantage of that popularity and do something good for our community. Since chocolate is a food, we decided to donate to American food banks and help in the mission to stomp out hunger. One in six Americans is food-challenged and we can lend a helping hand as they’re going through a rough time. I am really proud of that mission. We’ve served almost 4 million servings of fresh food to San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, Food Bank for New York City and Northwest Harvest right down the road.”
Do the jcoco bars feel especially personal to you, carrying a part of your name in the brand?
Thompson: “In every single thing that we produce here, I feel that personal attachment. There’s not a single product that leaves the store – from the design to the taste – that I don’t love. In a way, it’s our brand promise to the consumer: If you are aligned with me in terms of what you like, then you’re always going to like our products. That’s all I can offer: something that I’m proud of and happy to share with our consumers.”
The tours include education around how to taste chocolate. What inspired that approach?
Thompson: “I realized that people don’t understand how complex chocolate can be. The nuances and the flavor and the journey are every bit as sophisticated as wine. We want to elevate the discussion and the understanding of chocolate beyond the candy aisle. So many people don’t know anything about their favorite flavor; that it’s a fermented crop with so many varieties and that no two dark chocolates taste the same because of all the different variables and processes involved. We thought opening our factory to tours and educating and starting a dialogue with our consumers would be a great way to elevate the dialogue around chocolate.”
What are your favorite flavors?
Thompson: “I know you’re not supposed to have favorite children, but I really love the Mexican Hot Chocolate right now; I’m a bit obsessed. It’s salt, fat, acid, heat. It’s magical. The Veracruz Orange in the jcoco line also has that magical combination of taste sensations, but in a white chocolate. And of course, I love the Quinoa Sesame bar. It’s like a foodie Nestle Crunch bar.”
You’re an Alaska MVP Gold member, too. What do you enjoy most about seeing other Alaska guests enjoying Seattle Chocolate truffles and jcoco bars on a flight?
Thompson: “Our number one purpose, we’ve decided, is to brighten people’s days. Yes, it’s about making good chocolate – but why? Well, at the end of the day, it really is about brightening people’s days. Because when they get that jcoco bar on Alaska Airlines or whether they come on a tour – or anytime you’re eating chocolate – it’s a bit of a bright spot. That’s what we live for.”
Whenever she gets the chance, San Diego–based flight attendant Ava McWilliams Ellington cooks for her co-workers.
“It’s amazing how one pot will feed so many,” says Ellington, a 30-year Alaska employee, explaining that she loves cooking and serving her homemade dishes to everyone from the front desk to the flight deck.
Ava McWilliams Ellington
Ellington, who started her flight attendant career in Seattle and also spent time based in Los Angeles, is known for making kind gestures to guests, as well—such as decorating a rare unclaimed Signature Fruit and Cheese Platter onboard and serving it up as a birthday cake.
“She is so imaginative and has such a big heart,” says fellow San Diego flight attendant Ricky Martinez, who has sampled Ellington’s cooking firsthand. “Her chicken enchiladas are the best, and her gumbo isn’t bad, either!”
Prior to winning her 2019 Legend Award, Ellington earned a 2018 Award of Excellence from the airline for “setting the highest standards of professionalism, dedication to customer service and teamwork.” She treats every flight as a window of opportunity to make a positive difference.
“I try to make at least some connection with every passenger, and I have a finite time to do so,” she says. “I still feel nervous excitement before each flight. It’s like I’m backstage before a performance, thinking, ‘Here comes my audience—it’s showtime!’”
With her skill at reading people’s needs and providing excellent inflight service, this veteran crewmember is a natural at mentoring younger employees. She also supports colleagues as co-chair of the Association of Flight Attendants’ Employee Assistance Program in San Diego.
Ellington says she far prefers helping and encouraging co-workers to talking about herself: “I feel like I’m here to be there for others—to prop them up, to watch them fly.”
Questions & Answers
What do you like most about your job? Every flight is a chance to touch people’s lives and to have them touch mine.
What advice do you have for new hires? When days are longer and flights are bumpier, I remind them to think of how proud they felt when they were chosen to fly. This job is an honor and a privilege.
What was a memorable day at work? When I met my husband, Alaska Captain Gary Duke Ellington. He popped his head out of the flight deck, and I was gone!
What’s on your travel to-do list? My mom has always wanted to go to Hawai‘i. I’d like to take her there and to see the place through her eyes.
What do you pack when you travel? My 6-inch electric skillet. I can use it to have a gathering or to cook for myself. Cooking is my happy place.
Kudos from Ava’s Co-Workers
“Ava is constantly thinking about how to put a smile on everyone’s face. Her humor is part of what makes her memorable. She makes sure people leave the plane happy.” —Kristina Rasband, Flight Attendant, San Diego
“Ava truly cares about how our passengers are treated during each and every flight. She is kind, caring and helpful.” —Prett Galloway, Captain, Los Angeles
“She’s just a great flight attendant, a great friend, and I love flying with her. She is amazing to our passengers.” —Kathy Massey, Flight Attendant, San Diego
“She’s fun, spontaneous and a pleasure to be around. She makes passengers and crew alike feel completely comfortable.” —Rod Massey, Flight Attendant, Los Angeles
“Ava is efficient, charming, witty and beautiful. Customers want to be her friend; flight attendants want to be like her and learn from her.” —Jayneanne Giannotto, Flight Attendant, San Diego
And to all, a good flight: We hope your travels are merry and bright
While the holidays can be packed with trips, gifts and loved ones you adore, Alaska’s connecting people to places, while bringing the holidays onboard. From inflight Hallmark movies at your fingertips, to warm Starbucks Holiday Blends and sips.
Whether you’ve spotted our snowplane flying high in the sky, or seen our flight crew rocking their holiday scarf or ties. We’re gearing up the holiday cheer at full throttle, with airplane backpacks, holiday knickknacks and #FillBeforeYouFly water bottles.
We’ve got the holidays covered like an ornament on a festive sweater. Speaking of, we’ve got something that will make this season even better. … Have you seen our Chief Football Officer Russell Wilson sporting our new holiday threads? It’s almost as good as a picnic pack or our fruit and cheese spread.
To our guests, we celebrate you and every jet setter, who will arrive at the airport Dec. 20 in a holiday sweater. For those decked out, we’ll give early boarding, a festive perk that is quite rewarding.
December Beyond Magazine: Read how Alaska Airlines’ Chief Football Officer Russell Wilson inspires and lifts the world around him.
From lapel pins to festive cocktail napkins and airport counters draped in decor, We show our guests we love the holiday festivities and more! Have some time to spare before your flight? Stop by our lounges for a snowflake sprinkled latte or peppermint mocha delight.
We’re also proud to donate miles to great causes from coast to coast, whether it’s saving someone from disaster or reuniting guests with the people, they love most. On Giving Tuesday, you can give miles to heroes or help make a child’s wish come true. We’ll even match up to a million miles too.
In Spokane, flight 1225 flies to the North Pole each year, Children are surprised and delighted by elves with the pointiest ears. Fantasy Flight makes life brighter for children in need, It’s a partnership we’re certainly proud of, indeed.
We hope your travels are hassle-free, just sit back, relax and enjoy some “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” So, from all of us at Alaska, we wish you the happiest of nights. Joy to traveling the world on the “Merrier Carrier” & to all, a good flight!
Dianne McGinness from Alaska Airlines also contributed to this holiday poem.
How Alaska Airlines’ Chief Football Officer Russell Wilson inspires and lifts the world around him
On a rainy Tuesday in the middle of the professional football season, Russell Wilson walks onto the cancer floor at Seattle Children’s Hospital. He’s running late because of traffic and already wishing he could stay longer. But when he steps into a young patient’s room and the dimmed lights come up, all of his attention now belongs to this family—and he has an abundance of high-fives, handshakes and hugs to share.
The winningest quarterback in Seattle’s history has met hundreds of children since he started visiting the hospital in 2012, but each room offers its own moment to connect with that one child, that one family.
On today’s visit, Wilson extends a hand to everyone in the room. He has a signed football and a poster for them, but the bigger gift is his presence, as seen in the shy smiles that light up their faces. This is the first time the father has seen his teenage son smile in the week since his diagnosis.
Wilson sits on the bed, leans in close for a photo and promises prayers. He asks the boy who plays football, too: “Are you going to play for us?” When the teen looks down, Wilson’s response is quick: “Why not you?”
This question—this challenge—is at the heart of everything Wilson does, on the football field, throughout his business ventures and in his many interactions with his community. Why not win the biggest trophy in football, even though Wilson was told over and over again that he was too short to play professionally? Why not produce inspirational film and TV programs with his wife, singer/songwriter Ciara? Why not team up with his adopted hometown’s airline, Alaska Airlines, to push high school seniors to chase their dreams—and even splash the message on the side of a plane?
“Why make your dream too small?” Wilson asks after his hospital visit. “If you’re going to dream, you might as well dream really big. You may not get there, but at least you got somewhere close.”
Wilson has been dreaming big since he was a kid writing down his goals in Richmond, Virginia. Those dreams fueled Wilson to win the starting-quarterback job for Seattle as a rookie in 2012—and to lead the team to its first title the next season. And back in high school, Wilson was already dreaming about inspiring other kids. “I had a vision with Scott Pickett [now one of his business partners] in 10th or 11th grade,” Wilson says. “We started talking about this idea that when I make it, I’m going to have camps, travel around the country—around the world—and teach kids how to play the game of football. But more than football, I’m going to teach them about life.”
So far, more than 10,000 boys and girls, from Shanghai to Chicago to Seattle, have participated in those Russell Wilson Passing Academy camps, co-sponsored by Alaska Airlines. About half of the kids, ages 8–17, attend on scholarship each summer.
“I say at the beginning of camp that if we inspire one kid today, the mission’s accomplished,” Wilson says. “Maybe that one kid can inspire the world.”
On a given Tuesday, that one kid might be at Seattle Children’s Hospital, where the walls are decorated, and staff—and many patients and visitors—are outfitted in No. 3 gear. One door sports a sign that reads: “Russell Wilson, stop here! (please).” When Jackson, the boy in the room, sees Wilson peek around the curtain, Jackson’s dad has to remind his son to breathe.
“Our caregivers do such an amazing job—but we don’t really want the kids to remember all of the pokes and prods,” says Allison Broadgate, director of Strong Against Cancer at Seattle Children’s. “Isn’t it wonderful if they remember a visit from Russell Wilson instead?
“He’ll see kids who could be having a good day, and kids who might be going through the hardest day,” she says. “Either way, the impact is huge. He always brings hope and a reminder to everyone that believing in your dreams is the biggest thing.”
Wilson is still dreaming big. His Why Not You Foundation has raised more than $8 million so far for pediatric research through Strong Against Cancer, in partnership with Alaska Airlines and Safeway. His Why Not You Productions has programming in the works—“awesome projects coming up in 2020 that we’re really fired up about,” Wilson says. And this October, he and Ciara announced that West2East Empire, their brand-management company, will start representing other athletes and entertainers in their careers.
Every venture Wilson and Ciara take on together, business or philanthropic is intended to be a world-changer. “That’s a core essence of our decision-making,” Wilson says. “Is it going to inspire someone? If it doesn’t, then it’s probably not for us.”
Q&A with Russell:
You and Ciara announced this fall that West2East Empire will start representing other athletes and entertainers. What inspired you to start this new venture? Through music and sports, we’re blessed to be able to encourage people and inspire people. And we love talent. We want to make people’s dreams come true. We’ve been encouraging one another, and now to help encourage somebody else is going to be great. And [partner] Jason Weinberg is one of the best managers in the world. He helps us with TV and film, as well, so we’re excited about where we’re headed with this.
What do you hope to pass along to other rising stars? I was a kid from Richmond, where people told me I wouldn’t ever make it. I really believe that you’ve got to control your future. You have to have a vision of where you want to go. That was really critical for me.
Do you and Ciara enjoy working together? Yeah, we really do. We get to share the same office here in downtown Seattle, and we get to spend a lot of time together and travel the world together. She’s my No. 1 fan. I’m her No. 1 fan, that’s for sure.
Who are some of the people who helped your dreams come to life? My agent and lawyer, Mark Rodgers. When I met him in May 2010, my dad was on his deathbed. Mark became my baseball agent. He also became a father figure very quickly in my life. I would also say my brother and Trevor Moawad, my mental-conditioning coach.
Even though my dad’s no longer living, he’s with me, and the things he’s taught me are with me every day. My mom showed me what faith looks like. When my dad was sick and didn’t have many hours left to live, she showed me the power of prayer. I have really been fortunate to surround myself with great people who believe in my dream.
Why is it so important to make time for Seattle Children’s Hospital each week during the season? When much is given, much is required. God has blessed me with a lot. He’s blessed me with talent. He’s blessed me with an opportunity to inspire people. I used to go to the hospital all the time because my dad was always there. I know what losing your dad is like and what losing a loved one is like, and I couldn’t imagine what potentially losing a child is like. The reality is that cancer is real; disease is real—things we all have to face. We can’t do it alone. Whatever way that I can help support families and loved ones and young children in terms of just giving them a glimpse of hope is what I think God has put me on this earth for.
You and Alaska Airlines have teamed up for the past three years on the NoTime2Sleep event, giving scholarships to graduates in the Seattle area’s Highline Public Schools district and urging them to pursue their dreams. Why do you choose to partner with Alaska?When I was a high school graduate trying to go to college and trying to be successful in sports and in my education, I had a dream, too. Now, to be able to share my dreams and where I was at that point in my life and to hopefully inspire them—it’s totally worthwhile. The companies we work with, like Alaska Airlines, they also want to inspire the world. They want to be able to impact people. Investing in community—that’s investing resources, time, energy, investing your heart and soul and love. It’s everything. We can do that together. And then how far can we all go?
Highlights from the Alaska Airlines–Russell Wilson partnership include:
Russell Wilson Passing Academy: Football camp for all positions, kids ages 8–17. Focus is on learning the fundamental lessons and rules of the game. Scholarships available for families in need.
NoTime2Sleep: Event held each of the past three years in June to award college scholarships and inspire seniors graduating from the Seattle area’s Highline Public Schools to define and pursue their dreams.
The Dream Big Livery and Flight 3: An Alaska Airlines 737 was painted with “Dream Big” to kick off Wilson’s 2019 season and remind Alaska’s guests not to limit their dreams. During the season, Alaska guests who wear Wilson’s No. 3 jersey also receive priority boarding. And for Mileage Plan members who travel to away games, Alaska is awarding three times the miles earned for special “Flight 3” routes throughout the season.
Alaska Air Group Employee Assistance Fund Reception: Wilson attended and signed footballs for the 2019 EAF event, which raised funds to aid Alaska Air Group employees suffering financial hardship due to a medical or catastrophic event. —D.C.
Donate Hero Miles to military families on Giving Tuesday and double the impact
Karen and Mike Duggan were at home in Falmouth, Massachusetts – more than 4,000 miles away from Anchorage, where their 22-year-old son served in the Air Force – when they received his phone call from the hospital in August 2017. Seth Duggan doesn’t remember making it.
Seth and others from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson had been out in downtown Anchorage celebrating their safe return from their deployment to the Middle East when Seth was brutally attacked by a U.S. Army soldier also serving at JBER. The attack left Seth with a fractured skull. When Mike flew to Anchorage soon after, he realized his son would need his family by his side to help navigate his recovery. “We’ve spent the past two years flying back and forth, helping Seth with his medical issues and daily tasks that he’s struggled with,” Mike says.
Karen and Mike Duggan have volunteered with Fisher House. (Courtesy of the Duggan family)
Most of Mike and Karen’s cross-country flights have been on Alaska Airlines, provided through the Fisher House Foundation’s Hero Miles program. Hero Miles are donated by Alaska Mileage Plan members to provide flights to wounded, injured and ill service members, veterans and their loved ones.
Since 2008, Alaska’s Mileage Plan members have donated more than 90 million miles to Hero Miles. So far this year, donated miles have covered more than 220 round-trip flights, valued at more than $208,000.
On Giving Tuesday, Dec. 3, Alaska Airlines will match each Mileage Plan member’s donation starting at 1,000 miles up to a total million miles, for organizations within our LIFT Miles program, including Hero Miles. To donate miles on Giving Tuesday, Mileage Plan members can log into their mileage account and click the donate miles link.
“The generosity of people donating their airline miles to people who are in circumstances beyond their control takes the burden off a family,” Mike Duggan says. “Not having to worry about getting to our loved ones without going through financial hardship is just a blessing.”
The Hero Miles program is administered by the Fisher House Foundation, which operates 86 houses across the U.S. and Europe near bases and hospitals where military members and their families can stay long-term. “Fisher House Foundation is grateful for Alaska Airlines’ support of our Hero Miles program,” says Dave Coker, President of Fisher House Foundation. “For more than a decade, Alaska Airlines has helped us bring military families together at a critical time.”
A second Fisher House in Anchorage opened in 2018. (Courtesy of Fisher House Foundation)
The Duggan family was so inspired by the Fisher House generosity that they quickly became volunteers, too. “There are local organizations that bring in dinners for the military families. That just brought us to tears,” Karen says. “They get a lot of food donations and supplies from people in the area.”
Just after Thanksgiving last year, Mike and Karen surprised a Fisher House in their home state of Massachusetts.
“We packed as much as we could into our car and drove up to West Roxbury, and we bought bakery items,” Karen says. “And we brought a gingerbread house! And a bunch of little shampoos and soaps and toothbrushes – just everything we thought would be helpful.”
“That’s how much this has meant to us,” Karen says. “We wanted to show our gratitude that we could be a part of such wonderful organizations like the Fisher House and Hero Miles.”
Hero Miles also provided a way for Karen and Mike to travel to Nevada last March to watch Seth compete in the Air Force Wounded Warrior Trials. There, he was a five-sport athlete, competing in track, archery, wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball and seated volleyball.
Seth Duggan competes in wheelchair rugby in the Wounded Warrior Trials in March 2019. (Courtesy of the Duggan family)
The injuries ended Seth’s dreams for an Air Force career; more than two years later, he still has permanent hearing loss and a need for ongoing medical care. This fall he moved to Florida, where his parents now live, so he can focus on his recovery and study economics at a university nearby.
“He lost a lot because of all of this, but he’s moving beyond that and he’s looking to the future,” Karen says.
About Fisher House: The Fisher House program provides a “home away from home” for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers. The homes provide temporary free lodging so families can be close to their loved ones during a medical crisis. Fisher House Foundation also operates the Hero Miles Program, using miles donated by Alaska Mileage Plan members and other frequent flyers to bring family members to the bedside of injured service members. The foundation also operates the Hotels for Heroes program using donated hotel points to allow family members to stay at hotels near medical centers without charge. Learn more.
We’re all about giving: See how our week of LIFT impacted communities around the country
Last month, more than 700 Alaska employees across our network came together to make flying matter during our companywide week of giving back to the communities we serve, called the Week of LIFT.
During the week, our people volunteered at over 20 events in nine cities across the United States, doing all sorts of good for more than 1,600 hours and raised over $145,000. Some, volunteered at local food banks, taught classes and participated in outdoor cleanups through organizations like KUPU in Honolulu, New York Cares in New York City, Covenant House in Anchorage, Reading Partners in the Bay Area and Mary’s Place in Seattle.
Here’s a breakdown of our week of giving:
Related stories:
Watch how Alaska employees surprised kids at Mary’s Place, part of our Week of LIFT: A roar of excitement filled the inside of Mary’s Place, a nonprofit in King County that provides safe, inclusive shelter services for women and families, on Friday afternoon while children and teens were surprised with a brand-new playroom and study space filled with games, bean bag chairs and a fresh coat of paint. See the reveal.
Opinion: Corporate responsibility isn’t all corporate — it’s about people and community (Puget Sound Business Journal): Open up the newspaper today, and you’ll find countless articles and opinion pieces on the role of a company – especially in times of growth. Is it jobs and innovation? Products that help people’s lives? Or is there a broader responsibility — to help solve challenging policy issues and enable the solutions? Or is the answer really “all of the above”? Read more
How we’re making flying matter for the long term: At Alaska, sustainability isn’t just a word; it’s a responsibility. One of our core values is to do the right thing, and that means delivering for all those who depend on us – for the long term. And our efforts are paying off. Learn more
Eat your way through the heart of Singapore: A guide to hawker food
No matter how big the economy booms or how bright the space-age skyline glows, Singapore will always define its culture by food first – especially hawker food. Born from the streets as a fresh, cheap and diverse dining scene, hawker fare proves this city-state to be Asia’s great melting pot.
Every stall – and there are thousands – has its own story: the couple churning out the same fish head soup for four decades, or the hipster putting a new spin on ramen or burgers. Which one is the best is up for debate, but the scene itself unites the city. Singapore recently nominated hawker food for Unesco’s “intangible cultural heritage” status. If successful, it would be Singapore’s first – and the only edible inclusion in Unesco’s list for Southeast Asia.
Singapore is an easy destination via Alaska’s partner airlines, including Singapore Airlines, which offers nonstop flights from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, New York and – as of this fall – Seattle. You can also earn and redeem Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles on flights with Singapore Airlines.
Once you reach the island city-state in Southeast Asia, to find the heart of Singapore, start with your stomach: Go to one of more than 100 hawker centers – where locals eat, lounge with cups of pulled tea over newspapers or meet for cold beers and an afternoon snack. This guide gets you started.
What is ‘Hawker Food’?
Fanning the flames of fresh grills at East Coast Lagoon Food Centre. (Photo by Kim I. Mott)
Hawker food’s origins spun from street vendors in the 1800s. Fussy British colonials soon limited their number due to perceived hygiene issues. After independence in 1965, the Singapore government moved the 24,000 vendors off the streets and into organized “hawker centers,” which are often two-floor, open-wall modest buildings housing fresh-produce markets side-by-side with stalls preparing regional dishes.
Each center serves a medley of Chinese, Malay, Indonesia, Indian and Peranakan (the distinctive local Malay/Chinese hybrid) dishes, usually sold from S$3 to S$8 each (US$2.20 to US$5.90). Expect to find fishball soups, skewered meats, roti prata flatbread, spicy bowls of coconut-based laksa lemak, chicken curry puffs, otak-otak fish paste served in banana leaves, stuffed omelet pancakes known as murtabak, “smashed chicken” with chili and rice, Hokkien prawn noodles, rich char kway teow noodles – even Western items like mac and cheese. Yum.
With a group, you can enjoy a transnational banquet by sharing a half-dozen or more dishes in one meal, starting at a couple of dollars each.
Three classic dishes
You should eat as many hawker dishes as you can, but don’t leave until you at least try Singapore’s three most iconic offerings.
Hanging chickens – a sign you’re in the company of Hainanese chicken rice – are found in almost every hawker center. (Photo by Kim I. Mott)
Hainanese chicken rice
Even if you are so-so on chicken and rice, you will love this. Stop at any stall with hanging chickens in the window and queue up. Brought generations ago by Chinese immigrants from Hainan island, it’s become an obsessively loved “national dish” of Singapore – a succulent serving of boiled chicken with white rice sautéed with garlic and boiled in chicken broth, then served with chili, soy sauce and ginger.
Best place: Maxwell Food Centre
Alliance Seafood’s chili crab at Newton Food Centre is considered one of Singapore’s best hawker dishes. (Photo by Kim I. Mott)
Chili crab
Singapore is rightfully proud of this dish because it’s great and it’s homegrown (though Malaysia sometimes begs to differ). The story goes that in the 1950s, a local couple subbed chili paste for ketchup at their stall – and Singapore’s chili crab was born. It’s a hot mess of a meal, made of stir-fried mud crabs soaked in thick, sweet tomato-chili sauce. You eat it with gloves, then dip freshly baked, slightly sweet mantou bread rolls to soak up the delicious sauce.
Best place: Newton Food Centre
Kaya toast combo deals come with teh tarik tea and sometimes a saucer of soft-boiled eggs. (Photo by Kim I. Mott)
Kaya Toast
This common breakfast or afternoon snack is a Singapore-Malay tradition packing a delicious punch that defies its modest appearance. It often comes as a combo deal (for about S$2.50, or US$1.85), with a cup of pulled milk tea (teh tarik) and a saucer of soft-boiled eggs doused in soya sauce and pepper to dip your toast into. The star here is the kaya, a light green coconut-and-egg jam. A jar makes for a good souvenir to take home.
Best place: Any hawker center
Where to go
Amoy Food Centre’s murals add a little color to hawker centers’ often modest dining areas. (Photo by Kim I. Mott)
With more than 100 centers in Singapore, there’s surely one near you. Some are old-school affairs with crowded aisles and lively wet markets. Others have gone hip, like Timbre+ with fusion food, graffiti art and live music.
Here are a few standouts near popular attractions:
Marina Bay: Downtown’s beloved Amoy Street Food Centre (at the corner of Amoy and Telok Ayer Streets) is on a leafy street about four blocks away.
Chinatown: Eating is not a problem around here. Great choices include Maxwell Food Centre (at South Bridge Road and Maxwell Road), Hong Lim Market (on Upper Hokkien Street, west of South Bridge Road), plus the outdoor stalls of the “Chinatown Food Street” (along Smith Street, west of South Bridge Road).
At Little India’s Tekka Centre, it’s saris upstairs, fresh India food downstairs. (Photo by Kim I. Mott)
Little India: Tekka Centre is below a housing tower next to the Little India MRT station at Serangoon Road, where you can shop for saris and visit Hindu temples.
Orchard Road: Lucky Food Centre is on the shopping mecca of Orchard Road, but it’s better to go a mile-and-a-half northwest to the famous Newton Food Centre (next to the Newton MRT station).
Kampong Glam: The breezy Golden Mile hawker center is a few blocks from the Masjid Sultan mosque and boutique scene of Haji Lane.
Changi Airport: The new Jewel terminal has an excellent food court on its L2 level, which includes locations for many iconic Singapore eateries.
Also check out the Malay-style fried mackerel or chicken called nasi lemak at Changi Village Food Centre, near the boat service to Pulau Ubin Island, or the Malay Hawker Centre (aka Geylang Serai) in the historic Malay neighborhood halfway between the center and the airport. It’s housed in a traditional-styled longhouse, with a market downstairs and food stalls upstairs.
Getting started
While hawker centers are open daily, individual stalls keep their own hours and days off. Some don’t open until afternoon, while others close then. Depending on what you want, consider visiting around 10 a.m. or 3 p.m. to miss the busy mornings and lunch periods. Every stall is numbered (#1-10 means tenth stall on the first floor), and many appear on Google Maps too.
If you don’t know what you want, roam through all the aisles to see what stands out (or smells the best), and – this is key – where the lines are. Though some stalls will have no line, it’s sometimes fun to join a smaller line (say 10 to 15 people). The food’s sure to be good and it shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes to get through. (Some busy stalls cook to order, so it can take 10 or more additional minutes after you’ve placed your order.)
Oh, and when you’re done, as the many signs tell you, be sure to clean your tables!
Top 5 hawker centers
You can find good food at any hawker center. Still, some centers are truly classics and should not be missed. Here are five standouts (and recommended specialties at each) from the dozen visited researching this article.
Maxwell Food Centre
Maxwell Food Centre (Photo by Kim I. Mott)
Anthony Bourdain swore that any trip to Singapore should start with hawker food at this center near Chinatown. Specifically, Maxwell’s Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice (#1-10/11). Almost any time of day, you’ll find a line wrapping around the corner. Get in it. For S$5 you’ll have the meal of your trip.
If the line is too long, Ah Tai Chicken Rice (#1-07) is run by a guy who spent a couple of decades at Tian Tian. (One local food blogger swears the Ah Tai version, at just S$3.50 (US$2.60), is slightly better.)
Have your own taste-test. It’s win-win.
Amoy Street
Amoy Street’s very popular Noodle Story offers a local spin on traditional ramen. (Photo by Kim I Mott)
At the south end of Telok Ayer Street – a fun central street to stroll for its historic temples, mosques and cool eateries – you’ll find the Amoy Street Food Centre. With its mural-backed tables, it’s one of the most revered centers in the city.
Four stalls make Michelin’s “Bib Gourmand” list – for high quality at low cost – including A Noodle Story (#01-39), which keeps separate lunch and dinner hours (closed Sunday). The busy duo makes only “Singapore-style ramen” – 200 bowls a day – for S$7 (US$5.10) and S$9 (US$6.60). Its distinction comes from adding wontons, a soy-flavored egg, a potato-wrapped prawn and char siu barbecue pork.
If you can’t wait, Ah Tea Teochew Fishball Noodles (#01-14) is revered for its mee noodles served with fishball, prawn, minced pork and homemade chili sauce. Bowls comes in three sizes, starting at S$4 (US$2.90), and is served by – as blogger Miss Tam Chiak calls him – the “hawker hunk,” a second-generation chef who once won “most handsome hawker.” The stall also opened a nearby restaurant last year.
Newton Food Centre
As seen in the film “Crazy Rich Asians,” Newton is most fun in the evening. (Photo by Kim I. Mott)
Locals have mixed feelings about the flashiest hawker center, often calling it overpriced and overly touristy. Don’t listen. Locals also go in droves. (And it was the first Singapore stop in the film “Crazy Rich Asians,” called out with brags about how local food stalls win Michelin stars.)
Built in 1971, Newton is a horseshoe-shaped complex that deliberately draws style inspiration from nearby colonial-era terrace homes. Stalls arc around a courtyard filled with umbrella-shaped tables, palms and 50-some flower species.
Alliance Seafood (#01-27, closed Wednesdays) is on Michelin’s Big Gourmand list, and famed for its chili crab. It’s priced seasonally, most recently S$40, or US$29, for a giant platter – much less than the S$90, or US$66, price you would pay downtown.
Next door is another Michelin-lister Heng Carrot Cake (#01-28, open after 5 p.m.), which serves a beloved late-night snack: carrot cake (or chai tow kway). Despite its name, it’s made with no carrot and isn’t cake. It’s not even dessert. The tasty Chinese import is made from steamed rice flour and radish, which is fried with garlic and eggs. It comes in black and white styles; best – to our taste – is the former, colored by dark soya sauce.
Old Airport Road Food Centre
Old Airport Road Food Centre is a long-time local favorite. (Photo by Kim I. Mott)
Now for something old-school. Named for a road that went to Singapore’s first (now closed) airport, this hawker center serves a residential area about 4 miles east of the center. Old Airport Road Food Centre has more than 150 stalls and – despite the lines for some – offers an easygoing spirit away from the biggest city attractions, making it a perfect place to visit a few stalls and assemble a random banquet.
Plenty of fun options to enjoy: wonton soups, prawn noodles, halal Indian foods, “Aunty Oats pancakes,” delicious soya bean desserts, popiah (fresh spring rolls made of thin crepes filled with shredded vegetables, shrimp paste) and kaya toast.
Old Airport Road’s Xin Mei Xiang Zheng Zong makes the city’s favorite Hokkien-style lor mee, a noodle dish with pan-fried red snapper, egg and red chili. (Photo by Kim I. Mott)
The biggest lines are for noodles. You’ll often find an hourlong line at Xin Mei Xiang Zheng Zong Lor Mee (#01-116; open breakfast and lunch, closed Thursday), a thick-noodle soup with gravy, fish cakes and chicken dumplings.
For a shorter line, with equal fanfare, try Ru Ji Mee Noodles (#01-37, open breakfast and lunch, closed Monday), where a couple cooks up a spiced mee pok. It’s quite a deal: a dry bowl of spiced thick egg noodles and a separate bowl of juicy fishballs and sliced fishcakes for S$3 (US$2.20).
To get here, take the MRT to Mountbatten, then walk under the shaded sidewalks a couple of blocks east. It’s confusing, but keep going past the smaller Kallang hawker center.
East Coast Lagoon Food Village
Everyone’s asked – repeatedly – to return their trays at hawker centers, including East Coast Lagoon Village. (Photo by Kim I. Mott)
Midway down the lush 10 miles of East Coast Park on the coast facing offshore ships, this hawker center is a local institution, where the smoke of satay grills mingles with the sea breeze in the palms.
The food gets going after 5 p.m. and is busiest on weekends when locals pack in to enjoy live music with their grilled seafood, lamb or chicken – and perhaps a cold beer or two. Vendors will certainly find you (touting is accepted here, unlike other hawker centers). Haron Satay (#01-55) is one of the most popular, serving local favorites for more than four decades.
Ten skewers of mutton run about S$7 (US$5.10), but consider the Malay-styled stingray grilled and served in a heavenly sambal sauce, made of chili peppers, shrimp paste, fish sauce, garlic and lime juice. A plate runs about S$12 (US$8.80).
There are a lot of activities in the park – barbecue picnics by the sand, volleyball and cricket games, a handful of restaurants and playgrounds, a wakeboard park next the hawker center – all looking toward the sea.
Learn more
Explore how you can earn and redeem miles on trips to Singapore and other destinations in Asia by flying on Alaska Global Partner airlines.
Planning your first trip to Singapore? Check out our beginner’s guide.
Captain Robert Hunt praised for developing one of the world’s most successful airline-training programs
Praised by colleagues for having developed “one of the most successful airline-training programs in the world,” Captain Robert Hunt is known for being approachable, calm, patient and empathetic about the challenges of becoming an airline pilot. He also respects different learning styles. For instance, when a new pilot candidate was struggling because of a learning disability, Hunt contacted experts in the academic field for input, and then created a program tailored to the fledgling aviator’s needs. The pilot went on to have a successful 20-year career at Horizon Air before retiring.
When the airline introduced iPad flight manuals eight years ago, Hunt spearheaded creation of numerous videos that play on the device and show pilots doing things right in various scenarios. And as he develops curricula for new-hire to longtime pilots, as well as for simulator instructors and check pilots, he uses extensive data collection, including from actual flights, to provide the best training.
“My job is training and checking,” says Hunt, who is based in Portland, Oregon, and whose current work as chief flight instructor on Horizon’s fleet of Embraer 175 jets includes conducting simulator training and evaluating pilot performance. “It is awesome to develop successful pilots, compliant with standards, who fly well and get our guests from A to B safely every day,” he says.
“Our pilots are talented and well-trained. They take their initial and continuing training very seriously.”— Capt. Hunt
Hunt, who is renowned for being an exceptionally skilled pilot himself, is following in the airline-industry footsteps of his commercial pilot father and aircraft mechanic grandfather. Hunt joined Horizon in 1990, attracted by Alaska Air Group’s safety culture and reputation for service. His prior experience included piloting floatplanes and ski planes in the Arctic for a Canadian company. “It was challenging to land those planes smoothly—I got lots of practice.”
Questions & Answers
What are favorite parts of your job? Working with outstanding colleagues, including everyone in Flight Operations. Also, I have enjoyed opportunities to do cool projects, such as test-flying the “fog buster” Heads-Up Guidance System for the Q400 and CRJ-700 for Horizon, being one of the first commercial pilots in the world to autoland the Embraer 175, and being part of the cadre that helped bring the E175 onboard at Horizon starting in 2016. I love flying the E175. It’s a phenomenal aircraft—well designed and thought out. The cockpit is very advanced. Another aspect of my Horizon job that I like is not having to commute to other parts of the country for work. I get to stay in the West.
What’s on your travel wish list? I’ve been to every continent but Antarctica, so maybe my wife and daughter and I will get there some day. My wife would also like to visit the Grand Canyon—it does look cool whenever I fly over it.
What do you take with you on a trip? Music. I play the guitar, and I used to bring it with me when I traveled, but that got to be too cumbersome, so now I just make sure to have lots of music on my phone.
What are philosophies you live by? Stick things out. Strive to stay happy and positive. Avoid drama, even under stress. Have a good sense of humor.
What advice do you have for employees about how to succeed at Horizon Air and Alaska Air Group? Always be learning, whether you do it on your own or tap into the many resources at the company. Talk to other people and learn from their experiences. It makes you so much better at whatever you are doing.
Praise for Rob
“Rob is a natural-born leader. He’s calm, cool and collected. He knows his stuff, and he has the right stuff. If he tells you he’s going to do something, you can take that to the bank. And he does everything with a smile. Rob and I worked together for years in the Standards and Training Department, and we also tested aircraft together. I’ve seen firsthand how talented and impressive he is with an airplane. In his current role as chief instructor for the E175, he is again demonstrating his calm, steady hand and experience, and achieving outstanding results.” —Perry S., Q400 Captain, Check Airman and Lead Flight Operations Duty Officer, Portland
Horizon Air employees such as Robert Hunt are the reason for our excellence. Join us in creating an airline people love. Visit horizonair.jobs.
Broken Earth Winery: Sustaining the land, the wine it yields – and a business for the next generation
We are telling the stories behind some of the foods and drinks guests can enjoy inflight, highlighting companies whose sustainable business practices help Alaska “Fly Greener.” These businesses also offer unique experiences in West Coast destinations we love to visit. Today, we are featuring Broken Earth Winery in Paso Robles, California. Broken Earth’s 2018 chardonnay is currently offered in first class on Alaska flights, and the 2013 “CdR” red blend will be offered in the main cabin starting in March 2020.
Chris Cameron has been making wine for more than four decades, and has led the winemaking program at Broken Earth Winery since 2010.
Chris Cameron picks a few merlot grapes as he walks through the oldest vines of Broken Earth Winery’s vineyards in the chill of first light, tasting for the perfect balance of sugar and acid that shows his fruit is ready for harvest in the hills east of Paso Robles. Cameron, winemaker for Broken Earth since 2010, samples again when the morning’s harvest arrives at the winery facility 26 miles away. 2 tons of grapes cascade from the truck into the crusher/de-stemmer, which pipes the merlot juice and skins into two-story-tall stainless steel tanks to ferment. Cameron will taste at every step of his grapes’ journey, using a glass tube “wine thief” to draw a sample of an elegant young cabernet franc – his favorite from last year’s barrels.
He keeps each lot’s fruit separate until he determines its destiny, bound either for bottles of single-varietal wines or blends such as the red “CdR” (for the Cotes du Rhone style it emulates).
“The same grapes from clones 20 feet apart will look and taste different,” Cameron says. “By keeping each parcel separate, we give the grapes the opportunity to present themselves as the best they can be.”
Across the 443 acres planted in 2019 with 21 grape varietals – and throughout the winemaking process – the Broken Earth team also has cultivated sustainable practices, nurturing the soil to minimize water use and installing solar panels in the winery facility. Both the vineyards and the winemaking are certified sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. “We look at the footprint we leave, and we’re reducing that as much as we can,” Cameron says.
This care for both the earth and the wine it yields makes Broken Earth Winery an appealing addition to Alaska Airlines’ inflight offerings, says David Rodriguez, product manager for food and beverages. “They are firmly rooted in the land they cultivate,” Rodriguez says. “They understand that their wine is part of a much larger ecosystem that they influence and that influences them.”
Alaska will pour the 2018 Broken Earth Winery chardonnay in first class into December, and the 2013 Broken Earth Winery CdR red blend will be offered in the main cabin starting next March. “Their product speaks to the sensibilities of those of us who call the West Coast home, both in the quality of the wine and the commitment to sustainability,” Rodriguez says.
Alaska now offers direct flights from Seattle and is adding flights from San Diego and Portland, Oregon, in January. And this year Broken Earth Winery opened a new 23,000-square-foot tasting room – designed with reclaimed steel and wine barrels – where the team hosts events educating visitors about the wide range of wines they offer.
“When Paso first came on the scene, because it was so hot, you typically had these big bold wine profiles,” Tooley says. “Now you’re getting more reserved balanced wines in the old world style. A lot of credit goes to Chris, who’s picked up varietals throughout the world, and they’re doing really well in the Paso Robles terroir.”
General Manager Justin Tooley grew up in nearby San Luis Obispo and has watched the area mature into an exciting wine destination.
“Paso Robles is this gem that’s only starting to emerge even though we’ve been doing this for 45 years,” Tooley says.
Cameron’s own winemaking experience and eco-friendly sensibilities stretch back more than four decades to his days fresh out of university in Australia’s Hunter Valley, one of the oldest wine regions in the country. “I grew up caring for the environment,” he says. “Australians by nature are kind of closet basket-weavers and tree-huggers.”
This fall, as the 2019 harvest wound down, Cameron took time to walk through Broken Earth’s vineyards and talk about the Paso Robles region and his strategies to make the winery a thoroughly sustainable operation.
How did Broken Earth Winery get its start?
Chris Cameron: “The vineyard was originally planted in 1973. One of the partners, Herman Schwartz, was a local guy who had co-opted the likes of Hollywood actors Wayne Rogers, Peter Falk and James Caan into establishing a vineyard. It was created to grow grapes and send them into the marketplace, and it was a serious investment. It was the largest single merlot vineyard in the United States when it was planted, and was farmed by the original partner up until 2006. In 2010, the new owner [Gerald Forsythe] decided to enter the winemaking industry and that’s when I was approached to head up the wine-production side.”
What’s the story behind the name?
Cameron: “The property was Rancho Tierra Rejada, which translates as working the earth or cultivating the earth. Broken Earth represents us because at our roots, we’re farmers.”
Both the vineyard and the winery facility are certified sustainable. What are some of the ways you’ve worked to make the vineyards sustainable?
Cameron: “The property was originally focused on quantity over quality. My focus has been to build the health of the soil up so the consistency of quality from the vines is more efficient and the quality is much higher. If the soil is healthy, if the roots are healthy, the vines will grow. The future of the vineyard is spectacular. We put as much back into the soil as we can.
The day’s merlot harvest wraps up at first light.
“We have an elevated reservoir and a ring main between our four reservoirs, which gives us the ability to share water, encouraging wildlife, trying to build a natural ecosystem that will control itself. We try to make a friendly environment for hawks and owls because they’re natural predators and will control pests and vermin. It’s a balance. On a commercial agricultural property, getting a balance isn’t easy. It was a bit of a gamble initially, but once it’s established, you actually save money. And part of sustainability needs to be sustaining the business. This is a legacy for the owner’s family. What I want to hand over is something that is as completely sustainable as we can get.”
The vineyards share water between four reservoirs.
In addition to solar power, what are some of the sustainable practices you’ve brought into the wine production process?
“We’re going to lower weight glass and bottles. We’re using synthetic corks which are made from plant material and are 100% recyclable. They are the first wine stopper that has a zero carbon footprint.”
Broken Earth does its harvesting at night. Why?
“We monitor the outside temperatures and around 11 p.m. as the temperature drops pretty solid, we’ll start the harvest then. Grapes are a fruit and like any fruit, they enjoy being in the dark and being cool. And they stay fresher longer.”
What is one of the most surprising parts of the winemaking process?
“There is an awful lot of cleaning. It’s like being permanently stuck in a kitchen and your partner uses every pot and dish in the building every day. And you have to wash and clean them all and put them all away. It’s 85% of winemaking, I think.”
What’s unique about Paso Robles and its wines?
“The climate is quite warm during the day but typically quite cool at night, and the relative humidity is fairly low. So that keeps disease pressures low. The upside of that is that everything will get ripe – but that’s also the downside because everything can get very ripe. You’ve got to be careful that you don’t end up with wines that are too big, too alcoholic and too soft. They tend to lose their varietal characters if they get too ripe. I like wines to stay brighter and more true to form so they’ve got the correct varietal definition. Paso allows you to grow a whole bunch of different varietals. It’s a bit too warm for the likes of sauvignon blanc, riesling and pinot noir, but it does a lot of things well, including both Bordeaux and Rhone-based varieties that don’t really occur many places. Apart from a handful of grapes you can kind of grow anything.”
“Paso Robles is a bit like stepping back in time now. It’s just coming out of the Wild Wild West and everyone’s really friendly. It’s young in relation to being a wine-producing area, and it’s still learning what it does best. For people who come to the area, they become part of the journey for Paso Robles, too and that is unique.”
The smiling couple on the Alaska Airlines flight from Chicago to Anchorage had plans to be married in a simple ceremony while visiting Alaska for the first time—with just the two of them and a judge at a municipal courthouse.
That was before they met Olga Robinson.
Robinson, an Anchorage-based flight attendant and 20-year Alaska employee, recalls learning the couple’s story while serving drinks.
“I said, ‘I think we should just do the wedding now,’ ” Robinson remembers.
When a passenger nearby spoke up to say she was a minister, the couple considered and ultimately agreed. Robinson and her colleagues sprang into action, fashioning a bouquet from paper napkins and creating a cake from baked goods they had available. Another flight attendant’s mother-in-law, a professional singer, was aboard and sang at the ceremony. The minister officiated, and the captain confirmed the marriage over the PA system to the cheers of a planeload of impromptu wedding guests.
Robinson has built a career around creating positive memories for flyers—though weddings are rare. “I try to connect,” she says. “Even just by looking people in the eyes when I say hello.”
Growing up in New York, Robinson joined the U.S. Army in 1979 and was attached to an aviation unit stationed in Germany, and then Texas. She met her husband on active duty, and they later moved to Anchorage, where they would raise three children. Robinson found a job at another airline before joining Alaska.
For nearly 50 years, Robinson has also done volunteer work, including for her church, for an Alaska high school making prom corsages, and at a neonatal intensive care unit comforting babies. And she returned to college recently, earning a degree in human resources.
Throughout her varied activities, Robinson aims to “do the right thing,” and she treasures the knowledge she gains: “When you give a bit of yourself, you learn things, too.”
Questions & Answers
What do you like most about your job?
I can’t get enough of waking up in the morning to hang out with co-workers who are like brothers and sisters to me. And I like seeing familiar customer faces as well as faces that might become familiar. It brings me joy to be part of an experience on a particular plane, for a particular time.
What advice do you have for new hires?
Be a good listener and storyteller. People like sharing stories you can learn from. Sometimes, they want to hear yours, too.
What are your favorite places to travel?
Sitka, Alaska, and Chicago, Illinois. If I had a short vacation, I’d go to Sitka. It’s one of the most romantic, beautiful places I know. I’d get myself a good cup of coffee and enjoy the small-city scene. After that, I’d go to Chicago to catch a show you can only see in a big city. I like both extremes.
What are must-haves for a travel bag?
Walking shoes, clothes that don’t wrinkle and, if you’re like me, you don’t want to be caught without your favorite shampoo.
Kudos from Olga’s Co-Workers
“Olga goes above and beyond in all aspects of work and life. She’s gentle and caring with passengers. It’s not surprising that, by the middle of a flight, she may know someone’s retirement plan, current life happenings, and be invited to their dinner party.” —Brandie B., Flight Attendant, Los Angeles
“When I think of ‘thinking outside the box,’ I think of Olga. She uses her resources like no other person I know.” —Serenity O., Inflight Supervisor, Anchorage
“You instantly want to tell her your life story, maybe cry on her shoulder, or just [be around] her. … The way she makes people feel cared for is just incredible.” —Trudy B., Inflight Supervisor, Anchorage
“Olga is an amazing woman and someone I look up to every day. I’m very thankful that I get to work with her, and I’m very fortunate that I’ve worked with her for so many years.” —Tracey L., Inflight Base Manager, Anchorage
Alaska Airlines employees such as Olga Robinson are the reason for our excellence. Join us in creating an airline people love. Visit alaskaair.jobs.
And jcoco’s newest flavor actually traces its origin to a flight on Alaska Airlines. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, an Alaska state representative from Sitka, was one of the Mileage Plan elite members who received a jcoco Bali Sea Salt Toffee bar inflight last year. Kreiss-Tomkins wrote to Thompson – “I like chocolate. I love your product.” – and urged her to consider sourcing sea salt from Sitka’s Alaska Pure Sea Salt company.
How we’re making flying matter for the long term: At Alaska, sustainability isn’t just a word; it’s a responsibility. One of our core values is to do the right thing, and that means delivering for all those who depend on us – for the long term. And our efforts are paying off. 
When the airline introduced iPad flight manuals eight years ago, Hunt spearheaded creation of numerous videos that play on the device and show pilots doing things right in various scenarios. And as he develops curricula for new-hire to longtime pilots, as well as for simulator instructors and check pilots, he uses extensive data collection, including from actual flights, to provide the best training.
Cameron, winemaker for Broken Earth since 2010, samples again when the morning’s harvest arrives at the winery facility 26 miles away. 2 tons of grapes cascade from the truck into the crusher/de-stemmer, which pipes the merlot juice and skins into two-story-tall stainless steel tanks to ferment. Cameron will taste at every step of his grapes’ journey, using a glass tube “wine thief” to draw a sample of an elegant young cabernet franc – his favorite from last year’s barrels.
“The climate is quite warm during the day but typically quite cool at night, and the relative humidity is fairly low. So that keeps disease pressures low. The upside of that is that everything will get ripe – but that’s also the downside because everything can get very ripe. You’ve got to be careful that you don’t end up with wines that are too big, too alcoholic and too soft. They tend to lose their varietal characters if they get too ripe. I like wines to stay brighter and more true to form so they’ve got the correct varietal definition. Paso allows you to grow a whole bunch of different varietals. It’s a bit too warm for the likes of sauvignon blanc, riesling and pinot noir, but it does a lot of things well, including both Bordeaux and Rhone-based varieties that don’t really occur many places. Apart from a handful of grapes you can kind of grow anything.”
The Broken Earth Winery tasting room is open daily at 1650 Ramada Dr., Paso Robles, CA. Phone: 805-239-2562. 