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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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Alaska Airlines donates $1.5 million to remodel Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum

If you’ve been to the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., you know how spectacular it is – a place filled with history and exhibits that inspire, educate and entertain.

That’s why Alaska Airlines is donating $1.5 million in support of the “America by Air” gallery, part of the overall remodeling of the museum’s flagship building. From large aircraft to smaller artifacts – such as uniforms, models and engines – the gallery traces the history of commercial aviation in the United States.

“Alaska Airlines is committed to working in our communities to introduce young people – especially those most at risk – to job opportunities in aviation and beyond, to set them up for success in future career options,” said Diana Birkett Rakow, Alaska Airlines vice president of external relations. “We are honored to support one of the world’s most premier education centers and a national treasure as it gears up to inspire future aviators and young adults in person, around the country and around the world. And for Alaska Airlines guests traveling to our nation’s capital, you can go see your favorite airline playing a part in our nation’s history.”

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Japan Airlines and Alaska Airlines expand codeshare network

Alaska Airlines and Japan Airlines (JAL) are expanding their partnership with additional codeshare flights that include former Virgin America routes, such as San Francisco to Boston, to Denver and to Newark.

Japan Airlines will start selling tickets for the new codeshare flights on Feb. 6 for travel after May 20, 2018.

“Travelers will now enjoy an enhanced network to travel between Japan and more cities in the U.S., taking full advantage of the combined Alaska and Virgin America network,” said Charles Breer, managing director of alliances.

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Watch: Dad returns from deployment and surprises daughter on flight

Airline employees witness emotional reunions all of the time – that’s what happens when your business is bringing people together from long distances. But it’s not that often that we get to help behind the scenes to plan and facilitate such a reunion.

Last month, Alaska Airlines was contacted by a woman named Aimee from Ketchikan, Alaska. Aimee’s husband, Brian, was returning from a U.S. Coast Guard deployment in Saudi Arabia, and Aimee had arranged for him to be on the same Seattle-Ketchikan flight as her daughter, Rachel, who was coming home for the holidays after her first semester away at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington.

Rachel had no idea her father, who she had not seen since last May, would be on the flight. Aimee was hoping the reunion would be a total surprise – something that would require several Alaska Airlines employees to pull off.

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Alaska Airlines reveals new uniforms designed by Seattle’s Luly Yang

Alaska Airlines and Seattle fashion designer Luly Yang debuted a modern, West Coast-inspired, custom-designed uniform collection today.

At a fashion show this afternoon inside Alaska’s Sea-Tac hangar, employee models walked the runway, showcasing over 90 garments and accessories to thousands of employees. The design, which has been more than two years in the making, will clad 19,000 Alaska, Virgin America and Horizon Air unformed employees starting in late 2019.

Video: B-roll highlights

Watch or download the video: https://vimeo.com/251756645/065eccb63d

Employee fashion show

Photos by Ingrid Barrentine

 

 

Video: Sketched to life – Luly Yang’s uniform designs, from sketchpad to runway

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Fashion flashback: Airline uniforms evolve through the years

After nearly two years of behind-the-scenes work, Alaska Airlines and Seattle couture designer Luly Yang will debut a modern West Coast-inspired uniform collection to our 23,000 employees across Air Group.

Before the uniforms are unveiled Thursday, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate uniforms from decades past – from hot pants to Russian Cossack dresses, pillbox hats, and long red velvet skirts — we’re flashing back to some uniforms through the ages. Check back Thursday evening to see the new uniforms.

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Alaska unveils 13 daily departures to 8 destinations from Paine Field

UPDATE 1/22/19: We’re postponing our scheduled start of service from Paine Field until March 4, 2019. Our latest post has all the details.

UPDATE 10/17/18: Alaska Airlines service out of Paine Field is expected to begin in early 2019. We’ll be sure to provide an update as soon as we have more information to share.

ORIGINAL POST 1/16/18: When Alaska Airlines first announced in May that it would offer new commercial service from Paine Field-Snohomish County Airport, there was one big question: Where will those flights go?

It’s time to reveal the routes.

Alaska will connect Paine Field to eight destinations along the West Coast with 13 daily nonstop departures starting in fall 2018, subject to government approval.

The all-jet service from Paine Field will fly to Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Orange County, California; Phoenix; Portland; San Diego; San Francisco; and San Jose, California. The number of flights for each destination along with departure and arrival times will be announced later in 2018, subject to government approval.
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After today’s big merger milestone, Alaska and Virgin America prepare for more exciting changes in 2018

The Single Operating Certificate from the FAA recognizes Alaska and Virgin America as one airline.

Today is a big day for Alaska Airlines. The company received a single operating certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration, which means the FAA now recognizes Alaska and Virgin America as one airline. It marks a major milestone in the integration of the two airlines.

Through that work, Alaska kept growing by adding 44 routes across its network, in addition to the 38 routes that were added with the acquisition of Virgin America.

Alaska now has the most West Coast nonstop destinations of any airline, and now offers nonstop service to 42 destinations from the Bay Area alone. And with 15 airline partners, Alaska can take its guests to more than 900 destinations around the world.

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Horizon Air welcomes new CEO/president, and new chief operating officer

Alaska Air Group announced today that Gary Beck will be Horizon Air’s new CEO and president, and Constance von Muehlen will be Horizon’s chief operating officer.

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Outside of work, pilot shares the gift of flight to lift others

Scratch the surface of almost any pilot and you’ll find a kid who dreamed of flying.

When Alaska Airlines First Officer Erin Recke was little, she wanted to fly jet fighters. But it wasn’t until one significant day in her mid-20s when her dream really took off.

First Officer Erin Recke

“I took a flying lesson just for fun,” she recalled. “But I fell in love the minute we left the runway. I knew right then that flying was going to be my career.”

She built her private pilot’s license into a commercial one, as her planes grew from a single-engine prop to a corporate jet to CRJ’s at a regional airline based out of Atlanta. But the Pacific Northwest called her back home, as did the chance for a job at Alaska.

“I knew the odds of them hiring me would be much greater if I had a Seattle address,” she said, “so I moved here and commuted every week to ATL.”

Her return also gave her the chance to reconnect with a lifelong friend Maureen Griggs, who owns a 1964 Beechcraft Bonanza. And the chance to use her time off to do what she does at work: Fly.

But this time, she would fly for those most in need.

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Fear of Flying Clinic helps nervous flyers overcome anxiety to get off the ground

Music executive Oscar Flores was so nervous about flying that he hadn’t been on an airplane in 22 years.

After not flying for 22 years, Oscar Flores showed up to surprise his mother for her birthday.

Thanks to the Fear of Flying Clinic and some caring Alaska Airlines volunteers, Flores gained the courage to fly from Portland to Kansas City to surprise his mother for her birthday.

“I survived!” Flores said after his recent round-trip flight on Alaska Airlines.

That exclamation was music to the ears of Alaska flight attendants Lynn Hodges and Chris King, whose volunteer efforts with the Fear of Flying Clinic helped Flores take a big step that was more than two-decades in the making – and create some priceless memories with his family.

“My entire family told me how proud they were of me,” Flores said.

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