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Pilot mentors young man who wanted to fly – and 20 years later, they’re both captains at Alaska

Alaska Airlines Captain Chris Cice, left, helped mentor Todd Swenson, right. In February, Swenson became one of Alaska’s newest captains.

When Alaska Airlines Captain Chris Cice started chatting with a guest on a flight from Seattle to Oakland about 20 years ago, he had no idea that he’d inspire a new captain.

Fast forward to today: That guest – Todd Swenson – was promoted to captain at Alaska Airlines in February, fulfilling a dream that Cice helped him visualize.

It all started 20 years ago. Cice was a newly hired first officer with Alaska and was dead-heading in the main cabin from Seattle to Oakland. When Cice boarded the flight, he noticed a guest in his assigned seat. So he took the middle seat, next to a man in the window seat deeply ensconced in his book.

“I noticed that the man was reading a book by aviation author John Nance,” Cice said. “About halfway through the flight, my curiosity got the better of me and I asked him if he liked flying.”

The guest was Swenson. And that question from the friendly Alaska pilot changed the course of his life.

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Review: A 15-hour journey flies by, thanks to business class on Qantas, an Alaska Global Partner

Flying from Los Angeles to Sydney is not a short distance, and normally when I complete this 15-hour journey I can’t wait to get off the plane. But not this time …

The sommelier in the sky explains the extensive collection of wine in Qantas business class

This last flight, I was fortunate enough to be sitting business class with Qantas, an Alaska Airlines Global Partner. 

And I honestly didn’t want to get off that plane! In fact, I could have easily done another 15-hour journey back to Los Angeles in that comfortable lay-flat bed. 

The top-notch customer service, unbelievably delicious meals and endless hours of entertainment were truly outstanding, and made this international journey completely enjoyable.

Here are some of the highlights of flying with Qantas:

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In search of Australia’s most ‘smashable’ wine: Tasting our way through the Yarra Valley

Archie the Jack Russell terrier greets wine tasters who visit winemaker Paul Bridgeman, right, and Levantine Hill Vineyard in Australia’s Yarra Valley.

“Would you like some more wine, Mr. Anderson?”

Sunset in Australia’s Yarra Valley.

That’s a question I heard several times on my business class flight from Los Angeles to Sydney on Qantas, an Alaska Airlines Global Partner. (My first time flying business, actually, and hands down the best 15 hours I’ve ever spent on a plane!)

“Yes, please” I quickly responded to the sommelier in the sky, after she gave me several recommendations, and told me all about the wines and where in Australia they’re from.

I nodded along in agreement, and expressed my extreme appreciation for the wine she recommended. The truth is: I literally didn’t know anything about wine. Absolutely nothing. I can’t emphasize that enough.

But after flying with Qantas and spending the most incredible day wine-tasting in Australia’s Yarra Valley — I’ve definitely become a beginner wine connoisseur.

I spent 12 amazing days in Australia – exploring the beautiful coastal walks in Sydney, getting an epic quokka selfie on Rottnest Island, and driving the insanely beautiful “Great Ocean Road.”

But my absolute favorite day was wine-tasting in the Yarra Valley! Sometimes the best moments on trips are the unexpected ones.

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What’s an ATC delay? Here’s what can cause them – and what Alaska Airlines is doing behind the scenes

Few things are as frustrating as sitting on an airplane waiting out an “ATC delay.”

ATC is airline-speak for Air Traffic Control, a program governed by the Federal Aviation Administration. It manages the flow of planes as they arrive and depart airports. ATC’s top priority: safety. That includes maintaining a safe amount of separation between aircraft.

In perfect conditions, planes can fly closer together. When airport conditions deterio­rate – wind, snow, poor visibility, or even too many flights scheduled in the same time period – controllers ensure the highest levels of safety by requiring more space between planes as they arrive or depart. Instead of 60 airplanes arriving every hour, for instance, ATC might restrict the flow to 30 airplanes. Of course, that slower rate creates a backlog.

Airplanes must wait their turn in the air, at the departure gate or on the taxiway. Other times, airlines cancel flights to help minimize the snowball effect of delays, and passengers are rebooked on the next available flight.

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Our heart in San Francisco: Alaska Airlines unveils artwork in T2 at SFO

Keep an eye out for our big heart the next time you fly through Terminal 2 at San Francisco International Airport.

The sculpture was unveiled on Valentine’s Day and signifies Alaska Airlines’ ongoing commitment to delivering kind-hearted service to the Bay Area community.
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Love at first flight: Alaska Airlines flight attendants fall for each other in class, get engaged 1 year later

Alaska Airlines flight attendants Benjamin Cripps and Carline Kintigh. Photos by Victoria Fitch.

It sounds like a Hallmark movie: Two people “meet cute” in Alaska Airlines flight attendant training, fall head over heels for each other, covertly find ways to spend time together, are separated by their jobs for a time and then come back together and become engaged exactly one year after they met.

Oh, and one other thing: Both sets of their parents met working at Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, and still work there today.

But it’s not the latest Hollywood rom-com starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. It’s the real-life story of Portland-based flight attendants Benjamin Cripps and Carline Kintigh.

In a nod to Alaska Airlines for bringing them together and their deep roots with the company, they recently had all of their engagement photos taken on and around the Portland Timbers-themed airplane and Portland International Airport. The photos were taken by Victoria Fitch, also a Portland-based flight attendant. Their wedding date is set for Sept. 6, 2018.

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Is this the cutest animal in Australia? In search of the perfect ‘quokka selfie’ on Rottnest Island

My alarm clock started loudly chiming at 7 a.m. and I sprang out of bed with excitement.

While I normally loathe the idea of waking up that early, the day I had been impatiently waiting for had finally arrived.

Today … I’m finally exploring the idyllic Rottnest Island!

Now if you’ve never heard of this place before — prepare to add it to your bucket list! I’ll never forget the first time I saw pictures of Rottnest Island off Australia’s west coast near Perth, and I immediately knew that I had to visit this place someday. It’s been at the top of my “dream destinations” list for years now, and I was ecstatic to experience its beauty for myself.

I could barely contain my excitement while on board my business class flight from Sydney to Perth with Qantas, an Alaska Airlines Global Partner. During the flight, I definitely enjoyed some Rottnest Island dreams in my comfy lie-flat bed.

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To increase overhead storage 48%, Alaska Airlines is first to get new Space Bins from Boeing

Aiming to improve onboard storage and make flying easier for customers, Alaska Airlines is the first carrier to get Boeing’s innovative Space Bins. The larger overhead bins have a similar look and feel to Alaska’s Boeing Sky Interior pivot bins yet hold more bags.

All 79 of Alaska’s 737-900ER aircraft have Space Bins, which hold as many as 174 standard carry-on bags, a 48 percent increase compared to traditional overhead bins that hold up to 117 bags. Space Bins are deep enough to store nonstandard items, such as a guitar.

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Weekend trip: San Diego to Steamboat Springs

By Abe Kislevitz 

We made it to Steamboat! The skies are blue and the snow is soft. Knowing where to go on a good day like this is key to finding the goods!

Last week I got the chance to escape sunny San Diego for a weekend, and get thrown straight into winter!

My friend and fellow content creator Chris Rogers accompanied me as we explored Steamboat Springs, Colorado for three days in partnership with Alaska Airlines. They run a social media campaign called #WeekendWanderer where they’ll send you somewhere for a weekend to explore and document your travels! When you only have a few days to explore a new location, it’s best to have done some research beforehand. I tossed out a couple Instagram posts asking for recommendations and got a good list going!

Even more, we linked up with local mountain guru Alex Pashley, who works for Smartwool, a rad company based in Steamboat! With all the plans set it made 3 days feel like 2 weeks! It was the perfect weekend getaway.

  • Need a ride to Steamboat? Turn your dream into reality with these flight deals.

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Here’s why the Great Ocean Road should be on your Australia bucket list – and catch a ride with Qantas, Alaska’s Global Partner

Travel writer and photographer Dave Anderson.

What’s on your “Australia bucket list”?

Many people might include snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, seeing a koala or a kangaroo, and learning to surf in Sydney.

While all of these experiences are indeed awesome, no Australia bucket list should be complete without driving the Great Ocean Road – one of the world’s most scenic coastal drives – along the south-eastern coastline of this undeniably beautiful country.

The Great Ocean Road begins in the town of Torquay, about 60 miles southwest of Melbourne , and follows B100 west about 150 miles/243 km to the small town of Allansford. Along the drive are sandy beaches, lush forests, and historical and geological sites.

Here are just a few of my favorite stops.

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Here’s to one team, one goal in 2018

We recently closed the books on a very good 2017, and before we get too much further into 2018, I want to pause and reflect on what you, our customers, have helped create.

Measured as a whole, 2017 was a remarkable year. We flew 44 million of you around this incredible country – and beyond – with the great value and the caring and genuine service that has made Alaska Airlines successful for more than 85 years. We also made significant progress in our merger with Virgin America, achieving a single operating certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration in early January. By the end of April, we will have a single shopping/reservations/check-in system, and we will be 75 percent complete with the process of merging our companies – which means a more streamlined experience for you.

Looking ahead to 2018, Virgin America is bringing fresh energy and ideas as we update our guest experience. A recent article in Condé Nast Traveler says the merger of Alaska Airlines and Virgin America is “what happens when the cool kid of the skies hooks up with the straight-A student. You get a straight-A student who’s now dressing a little more punk rock and cracking open a beer in the parking lot.”  

Our teams have been working hard at Alaska to incorporate all that guests love about Virgin America into the Alaska Airlines brand they respect and can count on. We’re two incredible, pioneering airlines in the business and we’re linking arms for the future.

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