Hawaiian Airlines Reports February 2020 Traffic Statistics and Updates Expected First Quarter 2020 Metrics

March 9, 2020
releases
Hawaiian Airlines
8 min read

HONOLULU, March 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Hawaiian Airlines, Inc., a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA) ("Hawaiian"), today announced its system-wide traffic statistics for the month ended February 29, 2020. It also updated its expectations for certain first quarter 2020 financial metrics.

Hawaiian welcomed more than 856,000 guests in February 2020. Total traffic (revenue passenger miles) increased 6.4 percent on an increase of 13.3 percent in capacity (available seat miles) compared to February 2019. Load factor decreased 5.2 points year-over-year to 79.3 percent.

The table below summarizes February and year-to-date statistics compared to the respective prior-year periods.

SYSTEM-WIDE OPERATIONS¹

FEBRUARY	2020	2019	% CHANGE
PAX	856,687	870,538	(1.6)%
RPMs (000)	1,335,049	1,255,238	6.4%
ASMs (000)	1,683,538	1,486,005	13.3%
LF	79.3%	84.5%	(5.2) pts

YEAR-TO-DATE	2020	2019	% CHANGE
PAX	1,819,740	1,829,086	(0.5)%
RPMs (000)	2,863,751	2,689,257	6.5%
ASMs (000)	3,512,755	3,186,855	10.2%
LF	81.5%	84.4%	(2.9) pts


PAX	Passengers transported
RPM	Revenue Passenger Mile; one paying passenger transported one mile
ASM	Available Seat Mile; one seat transported one mile
LF	Load Factor; percentage of seating capacity filled

¹Includes the operations of contract carriers under capacity purchase agreements.

First Quarter 2020 Outlook

The Company has revised certain of its expectations for the quarter ending March 31, 2020 that were previously provided in its fourth quarter and full year 2019 earnings release dated January 30, 2020.

Specifically, the Company:

withdrew its estimates for operating revenue per available seat mile (ASM) in light of demand reductions associated with the global spread of COVID-19; the Company is unable to provide an updated guidance range due to considerable uncertainty about the impact of COVID-19 on demand for the remainder of the quarter; if there are no new net bookings for March as of March 5, 2020, RASM would be down about 12 percent year-over-year for the first quarter
affirmed its estimates for ASMs; the decrease in capacity caused by the temporary suspension of the Company's service to South Korea starting from March 2, 2020 is largely offset by an increase in capacity due to up-gauges on North America routes for operational reasons;
affirmed its estimates for operating cost per ASM excluding fuel and non-recurring items;
affirmed its estimates for gallons of jet fuel consumed; and
lowered its estimates for economic fuel cost per gallon.

The table below summarizes the Company's revised expectations for the quarter ending March 31, 2020 expressed as an expected percentage change compared to the results for the quarter ended March 31, 2019.

Item	Prior First Quarter 2020 Guidance	Revised First Quarter 2020 Guidance	GAAP Equivalent	Prior GAAP First Quarter 2020 Guidance	Revised GAAP First Quarter 2020 Guidance
Available Seat Mile (ASM)	Up 7.5 – 10.5%	No change
Operating revenue per ASM	Down 4.5 – 7.5%	Withdrawn
Cost per ASM excluding fuel and non-recurring items (a)	Down 1.5 – 4.5%	No change	Cost per ASM (a)	Down 1.8 – 4.3%	Down 2.9 – 5.3%
Gallons of jet fuel consumed	Up 4.5 – 7.5%	No change
Economic fuel cost per gallon (b) (c)	$1.97	$1.87	Fuel cost per gallon (b)	$1.93	$1.83

(a) See Table 1 for a reconciliation of GAAP operating expenses to non-GAAP operating expenses excluding aircraft fuel and non-recurring items.

(b) Economic fuel cost per gallon estimates are based on the March 6, 2020 fuel forward curve.

Investor Conference Call

Hawaiian Holdings is holding an investor conference call today (March 9, 2020) at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time (USA). The conference call will be broadcast live over the Internet. Investors may listen to the live audio webcast on the investor relations section of the Company's website at HawaiianAirlines.com. For those who are not available for the live webcast, the call will be archived and available for 90 days on the investor relations section of the Company's website.

Non-GAAP Financial Reconciliation

Table 1.
Operating Costs per Available Seat Mile (CASM)
(in thousands, except CASM data) (unaudited)

	Estimated three months ending March 31, 2020
GAAP operating expenses	$	614,906		–	$	648,132
Less: aircraft fuel, including taxes and delivery	(123,083)			–	(126,703)
Adjusted operating expenses – excluding aircraft fuel	$	491,823		–	$	521,429
Available Seat Miles		5,215,815				5,361,373
CASM – GAAP		11.79	¢			12.09	¢
Less: aircraft fuel, including taxes and delivery	(2.36)			–	(2.36)
Adjusted CASM		9.43	¢	–		9.73	¢

Table 2.
Economic Fuel Expense
(in thousands, except per-gallon amounts) (unaudited)

	Estimated three months ending March 31, 2020
Aircraft fuel expense, including taxes and delivery	$	123,083	–	$	126,703
Realized (gains)/losses on settlement of fuel derivative contracts	3,000		–	3,000
Economic fuel expense	$	126,083	–	$	129,703
Fuel gallons consumed	67,424		–	69,360
Economic fuel cost per gallon	$	1.87	–	$	1.87

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that reflect the Company's current views with respect to certain current and future events and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the Company's expectations regarding operating revenue per available seat mile, available seat miles, operating cost per available seat mile, gallons of jet fuel consumed, economic fuel cost per gallon, and fuel cost per gallon and cost per available seat mile excluding fuel and non-recurring items for the quarter ending March 31, 2020; the impact on the Company's business of COVID-19 and the suspension of service to South Korea; and statements as to other matters that do not relate strictly to historical facts or statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "projects," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," variations of such words, and similar expressions are also intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are and will be, as the case may be, subject to many risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to the Company's operations and business environment, all of which may cause the Company's actual results to be materially different from any future results, expressed or implied, in these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the Company's ability to accurately forecast quarterly and annual results; economic volatility; the effects of the spread of contagious diseases or viruses, such as the novel coronavirus, COVID-19; macroeconomic developments; political developments; the price and availability of aircraft fuel; fluctuations in demand for transportation in the markets in which the Company operates, including due to the occurrence of natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis; the Company's dependence on tourist travel; labor negotiations and related developments; competitive pressures, including the potential impact of rising industry capacity in the markets in which the Company competes; the Company's ability to continue to generate sufficient cash flow to support the payment of a quarterly dividend; changes in the Company's future capital needs; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; and the Company's ability to implement its growth strategy.

The risks, uncertainties and assumptions referred to above that could cause the Company's results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements also include the risks, uncertainties and assumptions discussed from time to time in the Company's other public filings and public announcements, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as well as other documents that may be filed by the Company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements included in this document are based on information available to the Company on the date hereof. The Company does not undertake to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date hereof even if experience or future changes make it clear that any projected results expressed or implied herein will not be realized.

About Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian® has led all U.S. carriers in on-time performance for each of the past 16 years (2004-2019) as reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Consumer surveys by Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and TripAdvisor have placed Hawaiian among the top of all domestic airlines serving Hawai'i.

Now in its 91st year of continuous service, Hawaiian is Hawai'i's biggest and longest-serving airline. Hawaiian offers non-stop service to Hawai'i from more U.S. gateway cities (13) than any other airline, along with service from Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa and Tahiti. Hawaiian also provides, on average, more than 160 jet flights daily between the Hawaiian Islands, and over 240 daily flights system wide.

Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA). Additional information is available at HawaiianAirlines.com. Follow Hawaiian's Twitter updates (@HawaiianAir), become a fan on Facebook (Hawaiian Airlines), and follow us on Instagram (hawaiianairlines). For career postings and updates, follow Hawaiian's LinkedIn page.

For media inquiries, please visit Hawaiian Airlines' online newsroom.

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SOURCE Hawaiian Airlines

Giving a Future Pilot Her Wings this International Women’s Day

March 8, 2020
blog
Hawaiian Airlines
5 min read

When flight HA576 from Honolulu to Maui landed at Kahului Airport in October 2018, its pilots weren’t expecting to be greeted by a new fan. But one guest, Victoria Thom, an 11-year-old aspiring pilot, was thrilled to see her flight was operated by two women and jumped at the opportunity to introduce herself. Our Boeing 717 Capt. Carrie Hironaka and First Officer Kanani Aio welcomed Thom with open arms, taking photos with her and inviting her into the cockpit before their next flight back to Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL).

When Thom returned to her home in Arizona, she sent us a letter thanking the pilots for their experience:

“This flight crew was very inspirational to me because I want to be a pilot as well. It was very exciting to discover that both the Captain and First Officer were women. My dad is a pilot at JetBlue Airways, and I have wanted to fly just like him since I was two years old. After my experience flying on Hawaiian, I have decided to become a pilot at Hawaiian Airlines when I grow up,” Thom said.

“After I graduate, I will be applying to Hawaiian Airlines. I plan to interview with you in about fifteen years, so I hope you will be watching for my application. I hope to do as well as the pilots that were on our flight to Maui! Please let them know that they have truly inspired me!”

Our pilots responded to Thom with their encouragement – reflecting our airline’s dedication to molding the next generation of aviation professionals:

Hironaka and Thom in October 2018

“I love seeing youth who are passionate about aviation – and love it, even more, when it is a young female. You seem very dedicated to your goals and with the support of your family, I have no doubt you will one day be my First Officer at Hawaiian Airlines, maybe in even less than the fifteen years that you’re giving yourself,” Hironaka said in her letter. “There is nothing like the feeling of rolling down that runway and taking off up into the sky, so study hard but remember to enjoy the ride!”

Aio and Thom in October 2018

“I’m so happy to hear that you’ve decided to become a pilot and that you’ve set your heart on Hawaiian Airlines! It’s an incredible place to fly and flying between the islands is pretty special. There’s no place like it in the world,” Aio said in her response. “You’re at the beginning of an amazing journey and I’m so excited for you! It’s not always easy but it so much fun and completely worth it. Don’t ever give up and you’ll get those wings!”

So, when we discovered the Thom family would be taking another trip on Hawaiian Airlines, we knew we had to make it special.

Just in time for International Women’s Day, our ‘ohana came together to give Thom the ultimate surprise: a chance to get a head start on her career as a Hawaiian Airlines pilot.

Clark (far left) pictured with the Thom family at HNL

When the family arrived at HNL, they were greeted by Hawaiian Airlines System Chief Pilot Peter Clark. In his hands were two special gifts: a pair of Thom’s very own Hawaiian Airlines wings and a captain’s logbook to document her pilot meet-and-greets in the years to come.

Thom in the cockpit of the Airbus A330

“I’m excited about today because I started when I was 15 years old. Tori is 11, so she’s even younger than I was,” Clark said before the surprise. “For some people flying is a passion that is going to carry them all the way into retirement and I suspect Tori will be one of those, so I’m happy to light that fire.”

The captain of the Airbus A330 filling out Thom’s first logbook

Thom broke in her logbook with her first pilot signatures from the captain of her flight to HNL and given her first pair of Hawaiian Airlines wings to pin on her shirt. Clark then took Thom on a walk in a pilot’s shoes, giving her a behind-the-scenes look at pre-flight preparations at our HNL crew center.

Thom at the briefing table with the captain and flight crew of a flight heading toward Seattle

There, she was able to sit in on a flight crew briefing, meet pilots preparing for their flights and see what it takes to finalize a flight plan with our Systems Operations Control Center.

Afterward, we headed to our nearby headquarters, gave her a tour of our pilot training facility, and buckled her into the co-pilot’s seat of an Airbus A321neo simulator, giving her the wheel to fly the aircraft around Diamond Head and over urban Honolulu.

Thom in the captain’s chair of our Airbus A321neo simulator

Before the Thom family left us to embark on their vacation, we ended their pilot adventure with a personal look at our very first airplane – the 1929 Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker

The cherry on the cake, Thom took the captain’s seat in our first plane ever put into service.

“Since the first time I ever came to Hawai‘i, I was like this is where I want to fly,” said Thom. “[Hawaiian Airlines] is the best airline I’ve ever flown on.”

Our airline is proud to have one of the highest percentages of female pilots in the industry, making up nearly 10 percent of our entire pilot workforce. We strive to continue that momentum, fostering workplace diversity and creating skills-based learning opportunities tailored to educating and growing the next generation of aviation professionals.

Join us in celebrating our future pilot Victoria Thom and the next generation of aviation leaders.

For images from Thom’s surprise, check out the slideshow below. To enlarge the photos, click the images.

Women who fix & fly: Celebrating Alaska’s aircraft technicians on International Women’s Day

March 8, 2020
Stories
Denise Clifton
8 min read

Photography by Ingrid Barrentine

Alice grew up fixing anything and everything around the house alongside the men in her family. She became a licensed aircraft technician before she was old enough to buy a beer.

Surin originally planned to be an aeronautical engineer. But during university, she realized she’d rather do hands-on work maintaining planes than study the math and science behind them.

Charize dreamed of becoming a pilot, but wanted to learn about the nuts and bolts first and has been hooked ever since.

These three women forged diverse paths to Alaska Airlines’ maintenance operation at San Francisco International Airport – all sharing a love for aviation and their craft, making Alaska’s planes safe to fly every day. Today, on International Women’s Day, we’re sharing their stories of working in the maintenance group at Alaska – and celebrating women throughout the company.

Alice, Surin and Charize during a night shift at SFO.

Alice, Surin and Charize are among about a dozen women in the group of 920 aircraft technicians across the airline – in a work force that is 98% male nationwide.* With Alaska’s plans to hire dozens of new aircraft technicians this year, the SFO team hopes more women will join their ranks.

“Working on aircraft always inspires me to challenge myself,” Surin says. “As an aircraft mechanic, I ensure the passengers’ safety and the airworthiness of aircraft. That makes me feel empowered.”

“Aviation, I love it. It’s the people and airplanes. That’s pretty much it.” – Alice

Throughout her maintenance career, Alice has worked in aviation operations ranging from agriculture to experimental, from cargo to corporate – repairing all kinds of aircraft, from crop dusters to jets. In 2011, she added commercial jets to her repertoire, becoming the first woman hired as a technician at Virgin America. “It opened a whole new world for me,” she says.

And while she loves all areas of aviation, she appreciates the culture at Alaska, where she’s worked since 2018. “It takes a certain type of person to be in this career,” she says “You have to have passion, creativity, heart – and be willing to work hard at times. Aviation brings these types of people together.”

Alice credits early mentors with giving her a solid foundation. “I was blessed to have a lot of old-timers who took time to teach me how to approach an airplane,” she says. “They never made me feel different for being a woman. And humbly, I am thankful for that and for giving me that space where I just saw myself as a mechanic, regardless of my gender.”

Now, Alice is taking a new generation under her wing. This month, she’s attending her first Women in Aviation International (WAI) conference, where she hopes to encourage other women interested in maintenance. “I feel like I’m at a place where I could be a mentor,” she says. “Somebody did that for me, and it’s my time to give back.”

Some of her favorite parts about her job: “I like that I’m not limited to only working on one component or part. I get to work on the whole airplane,” she says. And she also loves to travel. She’s been to 28 countries and counting.

“I’m excited to see other ladies starting their journey, and if I can help them in any way, it would be a privilege,” she says.

Alice, whose Instagram is @fixandfly, plans to eventually earn her pilot’s license, and she sees a long career ahead fixing planes. “Fixing is something I’m going to be doing the rest of my life,” she says. “And flying is just the best way to get around.”

“Passengers can’t see us working at night, but they trust us. When planes start leaving, they know that they’re safe.” – Surin

Surin has always had a natural affinity for fixing things – and when she realized she could make a career out of it, she decided to move to the U.S. from South Korea to pursue aviation. After graduation from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2018, she had several job options, including an offer from Alaska Airlines. “I’m glad I chose Alaska because of their values,” she says. “I feel like we’re always trying to do the right thing and everyone’s living those values.”

Surin says she draws inspiration from other women at the company, including Alice, who helped her navigate the predominantly male workplace when she was starting out. And she hopes to follow in the footsteps of other women who’ve risen through the ranks of maintenance to management, like Constance von Muehlen. “Having Constance as senior vice president of maintenance and engineering really motivates me,” Surin says.

Most days when people see her in her Alaska uniform – even people within the company – they assume she’s a flight attendant or customer-service agent. They never guess that she works on planes. “I’m proud to tell them I’m in maintenance,” she says.

“When my family or friends are going on an Alaska plane, I can say that this is what I maintained and this is super safe to fly,” she says. “And those kinds of things make me enjoy my work.”

“Being in this field. It feels like the world is my playground.” – Charize

Charize got used to being one of a few women in her aircraft-maintenance classes at Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology. “I knew this was such a guy’s world, and I was really nervous in the beginning,” she says. “But in this career, it’s actually better than you’d think. As long as you work hard and let your quality of work be known, everyone will respect you.”

Charize has worked for Alaska since summer 2018. “It’s so rewarding to fix a plane that needs to be fixed, and you know that it’s a go and you’ve made it as safe as possible,” she says.

Charize enjoys the compliments she hears from happy Alaska guests when she’s wearing the company logo. “Alaska is a great team, and it’s a great brand to work for,” she says, encouraging women to check out the job opportunities. “If you love planes and you want to work on them, don’t be scared. I think more girls should definitely be in maintenance.”

Charize doesn’t regret choosing maintenance over pilot training – and points out her job still gives her the opportunity to travel the world. She’s been to the Philippines, Amsterdam and Madrid. This year, she hopes to go to Brazil and Dubai. “I love the freedom – just going wherever I want to go,” she says.

Constance von Muehlen, Alaska’s Senior Vice President for Maintenance and Engineering, discovered her own passion for aircraft technology during seven years serving as a captain and maintenance pilot for Blackhawk helicopters in the U.S. Army. “I enjoyed the puzzle the work presented, the challenges that were always different and that satisfaction you get from resolving those challenges,” she says. ‘It’s a never-ending learning opportunity.”

Alaska hopes more young women will seek out exciting careers as aircraft technicians, von Muehlen says. One hurdle to recruiting young people, especially women, is overcoming stereotypes around what a technician’s job entails. “People realize you work with your hands, but it is also your mind that’s guiding you to what a problem could be. It’s like being a doctor for airplanes,” she says. “This really is a profession of the mind.”

Von Muehlen encourages students to attend events like Alaska’s annual Aviation Day, where they can get a hands-on learning experience from working technicians and better understand the complexity of the jobs. “Not only are there pilots and flight attendants on an airplane, but there are also technicians who are very important partners in keeping everyone safe on that airplane,” she says. “We have a tremendous amount of responsibility in the work that we do.”

#IamAlaska: Voices of women working throughout Alaska Airlines

“Go after your dreams, and follow your gut. But make sure to enjoy the motion as you go through it.” — Aisha, customer service agent, Alaska Airlines

“At work, there is nothing that I can’t do. I try to better myself and push my limits.” — Andrea, ground service agent, Horizon Air

“If you continue to work hard and strive for what you want, you can achieve whatever you want.” — Teal, flight attendant, Horizon Air

“Women have their power in who they are and what they bring to the table. Empowering other women to do that is important.” — Jithmi, senior product manager, Alaska Airlines e-commerce team

“If I could give other women advice, it would be to just be yourself, don’t worry about putting on a facade or anything like that. People will actually love you for just being you.” — Katharine, captain, Alaska Airlines

“Don’t worry about the things you can’t control––focus on the things you can do something about. Find something to enjoy every day.” — Patricia Bedient, Lead Independent Director of the AAG Board of Directors

*According to Women in Aviation International.

Hawaiian Airlines Adjusting Hawai‘i-Haneda Frequency

March 7, 2020
releases
Hawaiian Airlines
4 min read

HONOLULU – Hawaiian Airlines today announced it would adjust flight frequencies between Hawai‘i and Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND) at the end of March due to slowing travel demand attributed to the COVID-19 virus.

Effective March 28 through April 29, the airline will temporarily suspend flights that operate three-times-weekly between Kona International Airport (KOA) on the Island of Hawai‘i and HND, and four-times-weekly between Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) and HND. At the same time, Hawaiian will launch an additional daily nonstop service between HNL and HND as announced in November of last year.

“Japan is a vitally important market for our airline, and we have been looking forward to launching our third nonstop flight between Honolulu and Haneda, which offers more convenient connecting times for our guests,” said Peter Ingram, president and CEO at Hawaiian Airlines. “Unfortunately, the spread of COVID-19 beyond Asia has diminished near-term global travel demand, so we are balancing some of our Haneda capacity by suspending for about a month our hybrid service between Haneda and Honolulu and Kona.”

Below are the last flights scheduled to operate prior to the suspension (all times local):

FLIGHT	ROUTE	DEPARTS	ARRIVES	SERVICE ENDS	SERVICE RESUMES
HA851	KOA-HND	5:15 p.m.	10 p.m. (+1)	March 27	May 1
HA852	HND-KOA	11:55 p.m.	12:05 p.m.	March 27	May 1
HA855	HNL-HND	5:20 p.m.	10 p.m. (+1)	March 26	April 30
HA856	HND-HNL	11:55 p.m.	11:55 a.m.	March 28	May 2

The new Honolulu-Haneda frequency begins with the inaugural flight on March 28. HA863 will depart HNL at 12:30 p.m., with a scheduled 5:10 p.m. arrival at HND the following day. The return flight, HA864, will depart HND at 8:15 p.m. and arrive at HNL at 8:10 a.m. the same day, giving guests ample time to enjoy their first day on O‘ahu or connect to neighboring Hawaiian Islands.

Once the changes take place, Hawaiian’s Japan-Hawai‘i network of 35 weekly flights will include three daily nonstop flights connecting Honolulu and Tokyo: two flights serving HND and one flight serving Narita International Airport (NRT). The airline also offers daily service between Honolulu and Osaka’s Kansai International Airport (KIX), four weekly flights between Honolulu and Fukuoka Airport (FUK), and three weekly flights between Honolulu and Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport (CTS).

Upon restoring the suspended Haneda flights, Hawaiian will operate 42 weekly flights between Japan and Hawai‘i.

The airline is assisting guests impacted by its network revisions by offering re-accommodations on alternative flights or providing refunds. Hawaiian is also providing flexibility for guests concerned about potential changes to their travel plans due to the evolving global COVID-19 situation and who may need to make alternative arrangements. Please visit https://www.hawaiianairlines.com/coronavirus to learn more.

About Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian^® has led all U.S. carriers in on-time performance for each of the past 16 years (2004-2019) as reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Consumer surveys by Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and TripAdvisor have placed Hawaiian among the top of all domestic airlines serving Hawai‘i.

Now in its 91st year of continuous service, Hawaiian is Hawaii’s biggest and longest-serving airline. Hawaiian offers nonstop service to Hawai‘i from more U.S. gateway cities (13) than any other airline, along with service from Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa and Tahiti. Hawaiian also provides, on average, more than 160 jet flights daily between the Hawaiian Islands, and over 240 daily flights system wide.

Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA). Additional information is available at HawaiianAirlines.com. Follow Hawaiian’s Twitter updates (@HawaiianAir), become a fan on Facebook (Hawaiian Airlines), and follow us on Instagram (hawaiianairlines). For career postings and updates, follow Hawaiian’s LinkedIn page.

For media inquiries, please visit Hawaiian Airlines’ online newsroom.

Clearing the air with our HEPA filters

March 6, 2020
Stories
Alaska Airlines
2 min read

We’ve been fielding questions from guests and employees alike about air quality onboard our aircraft. While Dr. John Lynch, one of our University of Washington medical experts, has advised coronavirus is not thought to be airborne, our planes are equipped with systems that contain HEPA, or High Efficiency Particulate Air filters. They are the same kind of filters found in hospital operating rooms.

“It’s not a self-contained tube with the same air for a six-hour flight,” said Constance von Muehlen, senior vice president of maintenance & engineering. “The air in a cabin comes from the top and flows out from your feet. In fact, there’s a large portion of air that comes directly from outside. Within a six-minute period you get completely new air in the entire cabin.”

If guests want more filtered air, they can simply open the vent above them. It’s important to note that the flight deck, galley areas, and lavatories get air directly from outside the aircraft. That air also gets directly exhausted outside.

Alaska Airlines has one of the newest fleets in the country which ensures our planes have the latest filtration technology in use. Our filters are changed according to manufacturer guidelines.

Studies have shown due to the frequency of cabin air recirculation, that the air onboard planes can be better than the air found in many office buildings.

Información sobre coronavirus en español

March 5, 2020
Stories
Alaska Airlines
14 min read

Estas son las acciones que estamos tomando para proteger a nuestros pasajeros y empleados

Día a día hay nuevas noticias relacionadas con el coronavirus y la incertidumbre alrededor de esta enfermedad es preocupante. Continuamos trabajando directamente con las autoridades de sanidad y con los líderes de nuestra industria, recibiendo actualizaciones y poniendo en práctica las mejores resoluciones, para asegurar la salud y el bienestar de nuestros pasajeros y empleados.

Avisos regionales

Viajes a Costa Rica

A partir de las 11:59 pm (hora local) /10:59 pm (PT) del 18 de marzo de 2020 hasta el 12 de abril de 2020, únicamente los ciudadanos costarricenses y los residentes podrán ingresar a Costa Rica. Dichas personas serán sometidas a una cuarentena obligatoria de 14 días cuando ingresen al país.

En cumplimiento de las órdenes del gobierno, los demás pasajeros no abordarán.

Se recomienda a los pasajeros que se comuniquen con la Embajada de Costa Rica para obtener más información antes del viaje. Aprende más.

En el avión

Estamos mejorando nuestra limpieza entre vuelos y continuaremos evaluando nuestros procedimientos de limpieza. Esto es adicional a la limpieza regular que efectuamos entre vuelos.
Estamos reduciendo temporalmente el servicio de alimentos y bebidas a bordo. Aprende más.
Temporalmente no volveremos a llenar un vaso que ya se ha utilizado, incluida nuestra primera clase. Alentamos a nuestros pasajeros a #FillBeforeYouFly (llene su botella antes de volar). Esto nos ayudará a reducir nuestros desechos a bordo.
Nuestros sobrecargos posiblemente usen guantes durante nuestro servicio de alimentos y bebidas.
Estamos suspendiendo nuestro servicio de toallas húmedas en Primera Clase.
Estaremos descontinuando la selección de objetos reciclables a bordo, para reducir el contacto con artículos que han sido tocados por los pasajeros. Continuaremos recolectando y reciclando materiales de servicio simple de bebidas (agua y jugo de naranja) en nuestros aviones de Horizon Air.
En algunos vuelos, estaremos removiendo nuestras tabletas de entretenimiento a bordo, excepto en vuelos de y hacia Hawaii y Florida (donde tenemos la demanda más alta), para crear espacio adicional y tener más carritos colectores de basura.
Exhortamos a nuestros pasajeros a viajar con gel desinfectante o toallitas anti-bacteriales, como medida de precaución.
- Toallas anti-bacteriales pueden ser usadas para limpiar el descansabrazo y la mesita de servicio.
- Nota: El uso de toallas limpiadoras de origen comercial en nuestros asientos de piel pueden deteriorar la capa superficial del asiento. La toalla parecerá estar sucia después de limpiar, pero en realidad es el tinte del color de la piel que se ha desprendido.

En el aeropuerto, nuestras salas VIP y nuestras oficinas corporativas

Estamos abasteciendo gel antibacterial a todos los aeropuertos y oficinas corporativas para ser usado en nuestros salones de descanso, comedores, mostradores de boletos y salas de espera.
En nuestras salas VIP, estamos poniendo pausa inmediatamente al uso de escaneo biométrico de huellas digitales. También hemos removido sillas en áreas de alta densidad y hemos colocado aviso para encauzar la distancia social. Estamos limitando cada localidad a un 50% de su capacidad regular. La capacidad estará anunciada cerca de la entrada a la sala VIP. Read more. (Lea más).
Estamos en constante comunicación con los aeropuertos de las localidades a las que volamos para asegurar la limpieza apropiada de lugares públicos.

Cuidando a nuestros pasajeros.

Estamos ofreciendo opciones de viajes flexibles para nuestros pasajeros que decidan no viajar debido a la preocupación causada por el virus. Vea detalles completos en alaskaair.com.
Basado en recomendaciones de expertos médicos en enfermedades infecciosas, instamos a nuestros pasajeros a no viajar si padecen de algún tipo de enfermedad respiratoria aguda.
No está de más lavarse las manos. El centro de control de enfermedades (CDC) recomienda lavarse las manos por lo menos durante 20 segundos con jabón y agua corriente limpia. Más información en cdc.gov/coronavirus/.

Preguntas y respuestas con expertos en industria de aviación y salud.

Preguntas y respuestas con expertos en industria de aviación:

¿Qué parte de los aviones de Alaska Airlines se limpian después de cada vuelo? Siempre hemos tenido un proceso de limpieza vigoroso en nuestras aeronaves y continuaremos usando desinfectantes que son efectivos para combatir virus y garantizar la seguridad de nuestros pasajeros y empleados. Como una precaución extra, hemos implementado un proceso de limpieza mejorado enhanced aircraft cleaning process entre nuestros vuelos que permanecen en tierra por más de una hora en nuestros centros de operaciones. Estamos enfocando más atención en las áreas de la cabina que son tocadas con más frecuencia como los descansabrazos, cinturones de seguridad, mesitas de servicio, los controles superiores que incluyen las rejillas de ventilación, botones de luz, botones para asistencia y el exterior e interior de las manijas de los baños. Todas las aeronaves que permanecen en tierra toda la noche son limpiadas completamente. Adicionalmente, nuestros equipos están también limpiando el frente y el revés de cada asiento, la pantalla bloqueadora de luz y las manijas de compartimentos de equipaje de mano. – Celley Buchanan, Director of Operations Support Services

¿Alaska Airlines utiliza filtros HEPA en sus rejillas de ventilación de sus aviones? Si es así, ¿Que tan efectivos son y cuantos aviones lo tienen? Si, Todos los aviones de Alaska Airlines usan filtros de Alta Eficiencia de Partículas Aéreas (HEPA, por sus siglas en inglés) como parte de sus sistemas de recirculación de aire. Se cree que los filtros HEPA son efectivos 99.95% o más para remover partículas contaminantes en el aire. A través de una combinación de aire exterior y aire reciclado, el aire en la cabina es completamente reemplazado por nuestro sistema circular de aire aproximadamente cada 2 a 3 minutos. – Constance von Muehlen, Senior Vice President of Maintenance and Engineering

¿Qué medidas está tomando Alaska Airlines para desinfectar sus salas de espera y centros de operaciones? En todos los aeropuertos que servimos, estamos exhortando a nuestros empleados a desinfectar sus areas de trabajo antes y después de laborar, incluyendo las salas de espera, mostradores de registro de vuelos, quioscos, medidores de equipaje y barras. La seguridad de nuestros pasajeros y empleados es nuestra máxima prioridad. Estamos también trabajando en conjunto con nuestros socios a cargo de la limpieza y grupos en los aeropuertos en los que servimos para establecer rondas adicionales para desinfectar las superficies de trabajo. – Wayne Newton, Vice President of Airport Operations & Customer Service

Dentro del brote de COVID-19 , El aeropuerto internacional Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) anuncio sus medidas adicionales taking extra measures para salvaguardar la salud de sus empleados y pasajeros en sus instalaciones. Estas acciones incluyen el incremento en la frecuencia de la limpieza en las áreas de alto contacto, incluyendo los pasamanos de escaleras eléctricas, los botones de elevadores y los quioscos expedidores de pases de abordar e instalando mas gel desinfectante en los puntos de chequeo de seguridad, puentes de embarque, áreas de abordaje y centros de transportación terrestre.

¿Y qué hay acerca de las salas VIP? Estamos operando con tanta seguridad como nos es posible. Tomando todas las precauciones posibles para reducir la propagación de gérmenes. En las áreas de recepción, hemos puesto en pausa el uso de verificación por medio de huellas digitales y agregamos múltiples envases de gel desinfectante en el mostrador de registro. También le recomendamos que solo muestre su pase de abordar en lugar de darlo a nuestro personal, lo mismo pedimos con los pases que están en los teléfonos inteligentes. En nuestra área de buffet, continuarán viendo a los miembros de nuestro equipo usar guantes. También hemos incrementado la frecuencia con la que limpiamos las superficies con soluciones y toallas desinfectantes. En el buffet, Estamos constantemente reemplazando los utensilios de servicio (especialmente pinzas y cucharas servidoras) y en el bar, solo estamos sirviendo en vasos nuevos. También estamos exhortando a nuestros pasajeros a llenar su botella antes de volar #FillBeforeYouFly. Hemos reducido las torres de agua para prevenir que las botellas personales toquen la parte que dispensa el agua. Como alternativa, les pedimos que usen una de nuestras estaciones de reabastecimiento de agua o dirigirse al bar y llenaremos la botella por usted. – Alex Judson, Lounge Product Manager

Preguntas y respuestas de los expertos en salud:

Sabemos que los filtros HEPA utilizados en los aviones de Alaska Airlines son fuertes y efectivos para filtrar muchos de los patógenos en el aire. ¿El coronavirus flota en el aire? En este momento, no hay evidencia de que el virus flote en el aire y que pueda extender la infección más allá. La información con la que contamos actualmente sobre cómo se propaga el virus que causa la enfermedad por coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), se basa en gran parte en lo que sabemos sobre coronavirus similares. Se cree que el virus se propaga principalmente de persona a persona.

- Entre personas que están en contacto cercano entre sí, (a una distancia de unos 6 pies o 2 metros aproximadamente).
- A través de las pequeñas gotas producidas cuando una persona infectada tose o estornuda.

Es posible que una persona pueda contraer el coronavirus al tocar una superficie u objeto que tenga el virus y después se toque la boca, la nariz y posiblemente los ojos, aunque no se cree que esta sea la forma principal de transmisión. Este virus es frágil y no sobrevive mucho tiempo en las superficies.

Si viajo, ¿qué puedo hacer para evitar contagiarme? ¡Esa es una excelente pregunta! Probablemente lo más importante que puede hacer para evitar el contagio mientras viaja, es lavarse bien las manos con frecuencia. Esto es, lavarse las manos no solo antes de comer y después de usar el baño, sino también varias veces durante el día. Otra recomendación muy importante es asegurarse de limpiar todas las superficies que contactamos frecuentemente, como las mesitas de servicio y los descansabrazos.

¿En comparación con el resto de la población, los niños y los adultos mayores son más susceptibles al virus que causa el COVID-19? Todavía tenemos mucho que aprender sobre este virus, pero hasta ahora parece no ser muy perjudicial para los niños. En la mayoría de los adultos sanos, esta infección puede ser muy similar a la gripe. Al mismo tiempo, parece ser mucho más peligroso para los adultos mayores y también para las personas que tienen problemas médicos del corazón, los pulmones y los riñones, así como para quienes sufran de alguna deficiencia inmunológica.

¿Qué tan efectivo es usar máscaras o guantes? El centro de control de enfermedades (CDC), que asesora al país en materia de salud pública, no recomienda el uso de máscaras entre las personas sanas para protegerse de enfermedades respiratorias, incluyendo COVID-19. Solo las personas que están enfermas o presenten síntomas de haber contraído el virus deberán usar las máscaras. Esto con el fin de proteger a otros del riesgo de infectarse. Al igual que las máscaras, no se recomienda el uso de los guantes si la persona no está en contacto directo con sangre o fluidos corporales. Es bien sabido que las personas que a menudo usan guantes no se lavan las manos con la frecuencia debida, que es lo más importante para evitar el contagio del COVID-19, la influenza y muchas otras infecciones.

John Lynch, M.D., M.P.H., John Lynch, M.D., M.P.H., es un médico certificado y es director de los programas de Control de Infecciones de la Administración de Antibióticos y Salud del Centro Médico Harborview. El Doctor Lynch es también profesor asociado en Medicina, Alergias y Enfermedades Infecciosas de la Universidad de Washington. Obtuvo su M.D. y M.P.H. de la Universidad de Washington y realiza investigaciones sobre infecciones asociadas a la asistencia sanitaria.

Chloe Bryson-Cahn, MD tiene una maestría de la Facultad de Salud Pública de la Universidad de Washington y es graduada de la Facultad de Medicina Lewis Katz de la Universidad Temple. Ella completo su residencia en el Centro Médico de la UCLA y actualmente ejerce en el Centro Médico Harborview en Seattle, WA.

Preguntas más frecuentes acerca de cambios a su viaje:

Para su tranquilidad, ahora le ofrecemos opciones más flexibles para su viaje flexible travel options. Estas incluyen: No hay cargos por cambios o cancelaciones para:

- Boletos adquiridos el o antes del 26 de febrero, 2020 con fecha de viaje hasta el 30 de abril, 2020.
- Boletos nuevos con fecha de compra entre el 27 de febrero y el 31 de marzo, 2020.

Continuamos trabajando con expertos médicos y con las agencias federales como el centro de control y prevención de enfermedades (CDC) para evaluar nuestros procesos de prevención. También continuamos rastreando y respondiendo todas las preguntas mas frecuentes de la mejor forma posible.

¿Qué opción tengo si utilice millas? Si utilizo millas para comprar su boleto y este se encuentra dentro de nuestra política de viaje flexible one of our flexible travel policies depositaremos las millas en su cuenta de Mileage Plan.

¿Cuánto tarda el depositar las millas de vuelta a mi cuenta? Sus millas estarán disponibles en su cuenta entre 24-48 horas.

¿Qué pasa si use un cupón de acompañante? Si cancela su reservación por completo y esta incluye un cupón de acompañante, le restableceremos su certificado con la fecha de vencimiento original o junio 30, 2020, lo que ocurra mas tarde. Sírvase llamar a nuestro Departamento de Reservaciones para que uno de nuestros agentes le asista con la cancelación de boletos utilizando cupones de acompañante.

¿Qué pasa si compre un boleto no reembolsable en Primera Clase, cabina principal o boleto de premio con millas? Si usted compro un boleto no reembolsable de Primera Clase, Cabina principal o boleto de premio que este dentro de nuestra política de viaje flexible, usted podrá cambiar sin cargo change without fee o cancelar su viaje cancel your trip y depositar el valor de su boleto en la cartera electrónica de su cuenta My Account o recibir un certificado de crédito por la misma cantidad vía email.

¿Qué pasa si compre un boleto con tarifa Saver? Si usted compro una tarifa Saver que este dentro de nuestra política de viaje flexible, usted podrá cancelar su viaje cancel your trip y depositar el valor de su boleto en la cartera electrónica en su cuenta My Account o recibir un certificado de crédito por la misma cantidad via email.

¿Qué hago si ya pagué el cargo por cambio? Si por alguna razón se le cobro el cargo por cambio o cancelación a un viaje que ahora esta dentro de una de nuestras políticas flexibles, sírvase contactar a nuestro Departamento de Reservaciones. Nos encargaremos de que el cargo se envié de vuelta a la forma original de pago.

¿Qué pasa si estoy viajando después del 30 de abril? Para boletos adquiridos el o antes del 26 de febrero, 2020, nuestra política de viaje flexible solo aplica para viajes hasta el día 30 de abril, 2020. Por lo pronto, continuaremos evaluando la situación y haremos los ajustes que sean necesarios.

¿Qué opciones tengo si compre mi boleto con Expedia? ¿O si lo compre con otra agencia de viajes o aerolínea? Si compro su boleto a traves de terceros como Expedia, otra agencia de viajes o con otra aerolínea, contáctelos directamente para que le asistan.

Para más información visite alaskaair.com/español.

Hawaiian Airlines x Kealopiko: The Story Behind Our Newest Sustainable Design Partnership

March 4, 2020
blog
Hawaiian Airlines
8 min read

Among the rural landscape and laidback community of Moloka‘i is a small, grassroots printshop; the place that our newest design partner, Kealopiko, calls home.

We collaborated with the local brand last November to design a new look for our amenity kits and soft goods. Today, guests traveling between Hawai‘i and our international and select U.S. mainland destinations experience the ‘Ēkaha collection, a line of thoughtfully designed products that carry messages of sustainability.

But our reason for working with Kealopiko extends beyond creating comfortable goods that help our guests rest throughout their flight.

We teamed up for the love of their brand mission…

Kealopiko was founded by three friends – Ane Bakutis, Hina Kneubuhl, and Jamie Makasobe – who share a deep love for their island home.

L to R: Hina Kneubuhl, Ane Bakutis, and Jamie Makasobe

Bakutis, a Makaha native and waterwoman, is a botanist focused on rare and endangered native plants. Kneubuhl, hailing from the island of Maui, is also a botanist and heavily involved in the ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i (Hawaiian language) revitalization movement. Makasobe, from Windward O‘ahu, is one of Paepae O He ‘eia’s original caretakers of the ancient He‘eia Fishpond and specializes in public relations and interior design. Together, they form a mosaic of interconnected Hawaiian values – living in harmony with nature, perpetuating culture, and caring for their community.

Makasobe, who grew mostly in the ocean, reflecting on a shoreline on the Island of Hawai‘i.

The wāhine spent over a decade bringing Kealopiko’s brand story to life. What started as a passion project has grown into a full-time business with a brick-and-mortar shop at South Shore Market in Honolulu.

“We had great opportunities presented to us [before we started Kealopiko],” said Makasobe during a phone interview. “At the time, I was making shirts for Paepae O He‘eia to sell for fundraising and was working with a [screen] printer in the backroads of Waimānalo. We became close and he agreed to show us the process. From that point, we’d work our regular jobs in the ocean and mountains and then meet up after at his print shop to learn the craft.”

The group formed a partnership with a sustainable garment house in Los Angeles (owned by a friend), allowing them to understand the manufacturing process first before expanding production.

Makasobe shared that the early stages of Kealopiko moved at a comfortable pace.

Kealopiko's patterns are hand-designed first and inspired by what's happening in nature, the seasons and within their communities.

"When we launched our company, we hosted a pop-shop sale out of our rental home with artist Solomon Enos. News spread fast by word of mouth (pre-social media) with a group email. Our doors opened at 9 a.m. that morning and we had a full house until 6 p.m. We knew then we started something special that day."

“The demand has been a real blessing for us, and we were able to grow at a speed that allowed us to learn the industry at the same time,” she added.

Despite the growing popularity of Kealopiko’s products, the company’s creators refuse to budge on its founding principles of working hard and leaving no trace throughout their production process. Each garment is made with organic materials and sustainably dyed, cut and sewn by hand before being sold.

“We use a small batch process, which means we make a certain number of pieces every week before it goes out to our customers,” Makasobe told us. “There are not many clothing brands that actually still are a part of that start-to-finish process here in Hawai‘i.”

Cue the move to Moloka‘i…

After two years of running the business on O‘ahu, the trio moved their company to Moloka ‘i. The island, known as the Friendly Island, has a small-town vibe with stretches of undeveloped (often inaccessible) land, little-to-no tourism industry, and a population with deep native Hawaiian roots. It was the perfect place to nurture their brand.

“Ane moved to Moloka‘i to start her family and we felt it was a natural fit to shift our headquarters there as well. The values of the community fit well with the three of us; being in a downtown urban setting or indoors all day just wasn’t who we were,” Makasobe said.

“Manufacturing by hand is a skill and trade that disappeared for a reason…being hands-on became unpopular and people got interested in other areas of work that didn’t require so much labor. On Moloka‘i, that work ethic is a way of life. It’s still common to hunt, catch and grow your food and take care of your spaces. That lifestyle made sense to us and aligned well with our production values.”

Bakutis and Kneubuhl at Kealopiko's Moloka‘i-based headquarters.

Those values are what made Kealopiko such a strong brand for us to work with.

“Embarking on this redesign, we knew we wanted a partner who could help us tell the stories of our island home,” said Avi Mannis, senior vice president of marketing at Hawaiian Airlines, in a news release that announced the launch. “[Kealopiko’s] sustainable production and bold, contemporary design align with our values and complement the flight experience we want to offer our guests.”

At the beginning of our conversations, our Brand team tasked Kealopiko to come up with a couple of concepts representing our mutual connection to our islands. When asked about their creative process, Makasobe noted it’s always a shared vision for what they want to “breathe life into.”

“We don’t seek out the inspiration; our ideas come from a relationship or an interest that has been established. [Our designs] are all based on experiences that all of us have been in touch with somehow, whether it’s from our work, outside projects we are involved in, what’s taking place within our communities, or what’s happening in a current the season.”

Thus, the ‘Ēkaha collection was born…

‘Ēkaha is the shared Hawaiian name of a black coral, only found in Hawai‘i and indicative of a thriving coral reef, and the bird’s nest fern, a plant that can be found in healthy rainforests. The two are paired to symbolize the delicate, yet critical, connections that exist in nature.

Makasobe showing a thriving ‘ēkaha fern.

“[This collection] was our way of sharing the creation story as the native people of this place. It speaks to duality and the importance of the relationship between land and sea,” said Makasobe. “It’s something that’s been taken care of for thousands of years and that’s why so many people enjoy coming to Hawai‘i. For us, it’s a message that makes sense to share on a global scale.”

The result of our design collaboration was a new, stylish line of amenities and soft goods that allude to a greater story of sustainability. We looked to Kealopiko to help us create a more thoughtful amenity kit free of plastic wrapping, made with environmentally friendly materials and durable enough to be used beyond the flight.

Our new amenity kit with the ‘ēkaha coral print and coconut shell button (available in International Business Class and JFK/BOS First Class).

The partnership seeks to raise awareness among our guests about the importance of preserving Hawaiian culture and our environment.

“The relationship that we have to our environment, culturally, is so important,” added Makasobe. “If we can translate and share that message with those who don’t have that relationship, whether they live here or not, and want to have that relationship, we’ve done our job. Hopefully [this collection] can give to that and exemplify that the host culture that you’re visiting believes in this so strongly. That’s what makes Hawai‘i so special. You won’t find Hawai‘i or aloha anywhere else in the world.”

Watch our design video to learn more about our partnership:

See how we’re taking our cleaning process to the next level

March 4, 2020
Stories
Alaska Airlines
1 min read

We’ve always had robust cleaning processes on our aircraft and will continue using disinfectants that are effective against viruses. As an extra level of precaution, we’ve implemented an enhanced aircraft cleaning process between our flights that are on the ground longer than an hour at our hubs.

We’re focusing more attention on the areas of the cabin which are touched most frequently:

- Arm rests
- Seat belts
- Tray tables
- Overhead controls: air vent, light button, call button
- Exterior and interior door handles to lavatories

All of our aircraft that remain on the ground overnight get a thorough cleaning. In addition to what’s mentioned above, our crews also add these areas:

- Front and back of seats
- Window shades
- Handles to carry-on compartments

Celebrating one year of West Coast flying at Paine Field – Seattle’s newest airport terminal

March 4, 2020
Destinations
Alaska Airlines
2 min read

Photos by Ingrid Barrentine

Time flies when you’re having fun, especially when you’ve been busy flying hundreds of thousands of guests from the nation’s newest commercial air terminal to destinations up and down the West Coast.

March 4 marks our one-year anniversary since we launched our first flight at Paine Field in Everett – the Seattle-area’s latest, much-welcomed additional commercial airport option.

Over the past year, Paine Field has exceeded our expectations. Flyers appreciate the convenience of catching a flight north of the city instead of potentially grappling with a long commute to Sea-Tac. (Bonus: the terminal is beautiful, and it’s easy to navigate.)

With any new airport operation, you learn a lot. We’ve made some schedule changes as we listened to our guests, analyzed traffic trends and optimized better connection times for flights.

As we move ahead, the future looks bright.

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What’s next? We’ll work to further spread the word further that Paine Field is a terrific option for flying into the Puget Sound region between our 10 West Coast destinations and Everett.

Our goal: Let’s get more guests flying into Snohomish County to visit, have fun or do business.

“There are a lot of people outside of Washington state who don’t realize Paine Field is a great way to access Seattle,” said Brett Catlin, managing director of capacity planning and alliances. “We’re going to increase that awareness. We want our guests to know they have options on where to fly to and from in the Seattle area.”

Possibilities at Paine Field:

We’ve flown more than 740,000 guests to and from Everett over the past year
From Everett, we currently fly to Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Orange County, California; Palm Springs; Phoenix; Portland; San Diego; San Francisco; San Jose, California; and Spokane
Sun seekers are making Las Vegas, Palm Springs and Phoenix the most popular routes from Paine Field, especially this winter
On June 18, we’ll add our 11^th destination from Everett: Hello, Boise!
Flights between Everett and Spokane have been a big hit since we added that service in early November
All Alaska flights at Paine Field are operated by Horizon Air flying the Embraer 175 jet with its three-class cabin

How to access Alaska Airlines movies and TV shows on your own device

March 3, 2020
Guest Experience
Alaska Airlines
1 min read

You’ve made it. You’re settled into your flight. Now, how about a good movie?

Whether technology comes second nature to you or it’s not always your friend, we’re here to make your travel experience ease-y breezy. Alaska Beyond Entertainment™ offers 600+ free movies and TV shows at your fingertips using a smartphone, tablet or laptop. Follow the information below to stream, meditate or play games on your next flight.

March 2, 2020
Stories
Alaska Airlines
3 min read

Our contact centers are experiencing longer than normal call wait times. To save yourself from the hold music, we encourage you to take advantage of our online change/cancellation options and to reach out to our Reservations team ONLY if you need assistance with a reservation scheduled in the next 72 hours.

A few helpful tips:

- If you booked through an online travel agency such as Expedia or Travelocity, etc., please contact them for assistance.
- If you’d like to cancel your reservation, visit alaskaair.com, our mobile site or the Alaska Airlines app.
- If you want to change your reservation, you must use the full desktop site.
- Our current change/cancel fee waiver will be automatically be applied if your reservation qualifies.
  - - Saver fares cannot be changed, only canceled. Don’t worry, you’ll receive a credit for the value of your ticket in your e-wallet to use towards a future flight.

Avoid waiting on hold:

- You can change or cancel your trip online using the guide below.
- If your travel plans are NOT within the next 72 hours, please hold off calling our Reservations team. Thank you!
- If you must travel in the next few days, give us a call at 1-800-ALASKAAIR (1-800-252-7522)

How to cancel your reservation online

Step 1 – Look up your reservation, select “cancel.”

You’ll need the confirmation code & last name.

Desktop / Mobile

Step 2 – If you purchased a nonrefundable fare, choose how you want to receive the travel credit.

If you have a My Account profile at alaskaair.com, sign into your account and choose “send the credit to My Wallet.”

If you don’t have a My Account profile or prefer to get your travel credit via email for later use, choose “send the travel credit to my email.”

Step 3 – Confirm cancellation.

If you choose “send the credit to My Wallet”, the funds will appear in your My Account profile. This can take up to 7 days, but usually happens almost immediately. When you’re ready to book your next flight, the credit will be available to use, as long as you’re signed into your account.

If you choose to “send the travel credit to my email”, you’ll receive 2 emails. One with the certificate code, and one with the PIN. You’ll need both of these when you’re ready to book your next flight.

A confirmation email will be waiting for you in your inbox.

How to change your reservation online

Step 1 – Pull up your reservation.

You’ll need the confirmation code, and your last name.

Step 2 – Choose the flight you’d like to change.

Select “make changes to this trip” if you are only changing part of your trip, or purchased your original ticket using a discount code.

Otherwise choose “Use the value of this trip to purchase a new trip.”

Step 3 – Select your new flight.

Any difference in fare or credit due will be displayed on the right. Once you have selected your new itinerary, proceed to checkout to finish.

Yay! You’re on your way!

Flights of Fashion: Seattle designer Luly Yang undertakes a first-class redesign of Alaska Airlines’ fleet of uniforms

March 2, 2020
Stories
Alaska Airlines
13 min read

After more than four years, dozens of focus groups and countless hours of anticipation, fashion designer Luly Yang’s airline uniform project is finally taking flight—literally as well as figuratively. Known for her formal red-carpet couture and bespoke suiting for men and women, Seattle-based Yang was chosen by Alaska Air Group in 2016 to revamp the uniforms for its more than 20,000 employees. This month, airport runways from Seattle to Los Angeles and New York will double as catwalks as everyone from flight attendants and customer service agents to ground crews and baggage handlers dons long-awaited new uniforms—the airline’s first major sartorial upgrade in nine years.

“I am super excited,” Yang says, beaming about the rollout. We’re sitting in the tranquil, light-filled private studio in downtown Seattle that she uses when she needs a quiet space to hold meetings or to work on her designs. Her eponymous boutique, located at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel, is just a short walk away; its windows are known to showcase a rotating selection of Yang’s whimsical, eye-catching creations. Rich velvet and satin tuxedos and gowns in deeply saturated hues, fabrics boasting bold patterns and unique details—strategic draping, jewel-like beading, ruffles and feathers placed just so—have been a signature at the corner of Fourth Avenue and University Street for nearly two decades.

“This is one of the most special collections I’ve ever worked on,” she says, “and I plan to be at the airport when the uniforms debut. The emotions will be high, and I want to celebrate that energy and excitement with Alaska. This is a very special, one-of-a-kind experience for any fashion designer. The magic moment is when the employees wear the uniforms, and the garments come alive.”

At first thought, the choice of a designer who specializes in one-of-a-kind couture creations for individual clients seems at odds with the scope of a project that requires the design and production of one cohesive uniform collection that needs to fit a plethora of body shapes and sizes, as well as serve each individual for the numerous tasks of his or her job. But Alaska takes pride in partnering with local businesses on everything from its inflight food-and-beverage program to the design of its airport lounges, so picking a locally based designer for the overhaul was a top priority.

“We knew Luly’s background, talent and timeless design solutions would be the perfect fit for Alaska,” says Sangita Woerner, Alaska Airlines’ Senior Vice President of Marketing & Guest Experience. “Her style perfectly captures our fresh West Coast vibe—and of course we love that Seattle is her home base, too.”

As Yang tells me about her approach to design projects, it’s clear that the task isn’t as incongruous as it might seem. “My process is always the same,” she says. “It starts with conversation and listening to really understand, to the core, who I am designing for.”

Yang spent months holding focus groups with employees from around the country, distributing surveys, collecting feedback, and observing everyone from pilots to baggage handlers in order to see how their uniforms needed to stand up to the rigors of their jobs. This meant lots of flying, and lots of time at airports.

“The things that stood out to me were the little details,” Yang says. “Paying attention to where the pockets are, or how deep they are. Many of the team members need their hands free to do things. They have to carry around mobile devices and be able to store them quickly. Flight attendants asked to have longer shirts so that the garment doesn’t slip up when they are putting luggage in the overhead bins. These little things were important, and every decision was intentional.”

Fit and function for all 13 work groups were essential to Luly Yang’s design strategy.

Additionally, Yang had to take durability and climate into consideration. The most durable fabrics aren’t always the most comfortable, and a ground crew member in Alaska can’t wear the same thing as someone based in Southern California. These puzzlelike constraints presented Yang and her team with the ultimate design challenge—one that she ended up enjoying so much, she has expanded her uniform business as a result, with end-to-end uniform solutions that include design, product development and production.

“Through this process, I discovered my love and passion for custom uniform programs,” she notes.

The resulting collection, which features more than 90 garments and accessories, for 13 work groups, debuted at an employee fashion show at the airline’s Seattle-Tacoma International Airport hangar in January 2018. In keeping with Alaska Airlines’ 2016 overall brand refresh, which included a bold color palette featuring Tropical Green and Breeze Blue, the new uniforms are contemporary but not costumey or too formal. During the design process Yang had access to vintage employee handbooks and uniforms that date back to the 1960s, ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, and she was inspired by the brand’s strong 88-year heritage and employee pride.

“Fashion has changed a lot over the years, and you can see the trends reflected in flight attendants’ uniforms,” she says. “What we’ve done is a modern interpretation of the brand. Our design strategy focuses on a West Coast–modern vibe that embraces comfort, experience and approachability.”

From two-toned, blue-color-block dresses to crisp gray vests, custom neck scarves and sleek trench coats, the uniforms were a hit—something that would make the Alaska team identifiable on the airport concourse and also present a professional look.

The approval from employees was strong, but aesthetics wouldn’t matter if the uniforms couldn’t hold up to wear or hindered crew members from doing their jobs, so Alaska selected 175 employees to participate in 60-day “wear tests” and give feedback about the performance of the garments. Refinements were made, and then a second, shorter, wear test took place before the uniforms were declared finished. The official rollout started at the beginning of 2020 with Horizon Air team members and Alaska Lounge concierges, and it continues through the course of this month.

In January, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air were the first U.S. airlines to receive “Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex^®” certification, meaning that garments meet global safety standards. Items have been tested to ensure they are free from harmful levels of more than 100 substances known to be damaging to human health. Each component of the uniforms—materials, threads and dyes—meets certification, and Yang and Alaska worked with Unisync Group Limited of Toronto to develop custom fabrics, buttons and signature accessories.

“All of the employees I spoke with can’t wait to have a new uniform,” Yang says. “Some of them have even been with the airline for decades. There’s strong pride there, and they want to represent the company with what they wear.”

Luly Yang offers a new look for flight attendants, as well as a stylish look for mechanics, above.

If anyone knows about having pride in their company, it’s Yang. While she’s best known as a fashion designer, she has also been recognized multiple times over the past two decades for her business acumen and strong leadership. She has steadily grown her company, both in employee numbers and in goods and services offered. She’s worked with local entities including Pacific Northwest Ballet and Teatro ZinZanni, and embraced philanthropic efforts benefiting Swedish Medical Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and Seattle Children’s Hospital, among others. Yang has not only become a pillar in the Seattle business community, but also an inspiration to women looking to start their own ventures.

“Everything I do goes back to our company’s mission,” she says. “We’re here because we want to elevate the human experience through thoughtful, innovative designs. We always stay true to our values and keep that mission top of mind. Our team is diverse in design discipline and backgrounds, but all of us share the same values, goals and passion for what we do.”

It’s a laudable foundation for any company, and one that Yang has applied throughout her career trajectory, even before she landed in fashion. Born in Taiwan, Yang moved to the Puget Sound–area city of Bellevue with her family when she was 10. She was interested in fashion at a very young age and recalls her grandmother designing and sewing her own clothes. “I grew up watching her,” Yang says, “and my mom was an artist who also designed and made our clothes for formal events. For part of my life, I thought that this was normal, that everyone created their own clothing!”

After high school, Yang enrolled at the University of Washington, where she pursued a degree in graphic design. Outside of the classroom, she was a fitness instructor at the university’s Intramural Activities Building. “Fitness and the human form became a passion of mine,” she says. “It helps me understand the human body and a garment’s interaction with it. I have ergonomic charts of the body on the walls in my studio. It’s important to be able to see how the articulation of an elbow, hip or knee works. Good design solutions are a perfect balance of form and function. Clothing needs to look good and move well with the body.”

It was during her time as a graphic designer for a Seattle-based architecture firm that Yang made her first serious foray into fashion. In 1999, she participated in a charity fashion show that paired designers with paper companies, asking them to create runway-ready looks to raise money for the Seattle-based Art with Heart organization. Yang’s creation, her signature Monarch Butterfly Gown, awed the crowd and reawakened her passion for fashion design. Shortly after the event, she decided to pursue fashion as a career.

“Obviously it was a risk to quit a job that I really enjoyed and to jump into something that was completely different from what I had ever done before,” she says with a small laugh. “But I was fulfilling a dream I had had since I was a young child.”

In 2000, Yang opened her first studio at Fourth Avenue and Pike Street with a collection of 12 gowns. Three years later, after a successful start, she moved to her current atelier at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel. Over the years, Yang has designed numerous high-concept collections inspired by everything from oceanic life (an aquatic-themed “Ocean” collection was presented at the Seattle Aquarium) to sight (her “20/20” collection was inspired by vision and the human eye).

“I always start with a big-picture concept, and that becomes the soul of the collection,” she says. “It’s usually highly conceptual at the beginning. I’ll start by developing a visual story for the feeling I want people to experience, then I move to designing the collection.”

In a maintenance hangar or on the tarmac, the new uniforms bring a renewed sense of pride at Alaska and Horizon.

Beyond the conceptual, Yang runs a tight business. As the head of her company, she’s faced with tough decisions daily. Hard work and intense passion are the foundation.

“I face the difficult things head-on,” she says. “With every decision, we’re always asking, ‘Is what we’re doing making the human experience better?’ If the answer is no, then we’re not going to do it.”

When invited to give her advice for other women running their own businesses (or those thinking of making the leap), she keeps it short and straightforward: “Follow your passion, make all decisions intentional and strategic, and learn to do this quickly, with confidence. It’s important to move through the decision process and commit to it.”

The business community has appreciated her business focus. In 2007, she was honored with the Nellie Cashman Women Business Owners of the Year Award, and recognized in the Puget Sound Business Journal’s list of 2010 Women of Influence. In 2019, Yang was inducted to the Asian Hall of Fame.

When the Alaska Airlines uniform project came across Yang’s desk in 2016, it was an easy decision for her and her team. “I grew up here; I went to school here; I love the West Coast,” she says, “Alaska has always been my favorite airline, so I was very excited when I got that call.”

Yang has made the custom uniform business an integral part of her company, with corporate clients ranging in scale from boutique companies to global businesses in North America and Europe. She has recently taken on two additional landmark Pacific Northwest clients who are refreshing their brands, the Space Needle and the Fairmont Olympic Hotel.

In her own studio, Yang will release at the end of this year a ready-to-wear travel collection featuring easy-to-layer pieces and accessories designed for travelers on the go to feel comfortable and chic—the ultimate combination.

“I can pack enough for two to three weeks in one carry-on,” Yang says about her own travels, adding that it’s all about the layering. She travels frequently for work, to Europe and to Asia, and has the art of travel dressing down to a science.

“It’s all about what I like to call my ‘transformative items,’ ” she says. “Multifunctional pieces that I can wear from a morning meeting to a cocktail party, and maybe just throw on a jacket or switch shoes. It’s all about keeping things very versatile.”

One item that she always travels with is her signature Luly cashmere shawl that serves triple duty as an attractive accessory, a wrap during the evenings, and a neck roll or blanket while inflight. In her purse, she makes sure to bring a pair of sunglasses, a mid-layer sweater and a vial of pure lemon essential oil. “It helps energize me,” she says.

Within the next year, Yang plans to hold a 20th-anniversary fashion show that will feature highlights of her portfolio. Serving as reminder of the evolution of her brand and her creativity, the show will be a vivid chapter in a story that’s still being told.

“I have a curiosity about everything, and I like asking questions,” Yang says. “Staying curious keeps you innovative and keeps your mind open, whether you’ve been in your career for one year, 20 years or 50 years.” She pauses and smiles as if thinking of the decades ahead—an idea taking flight is a beautiful thing to watch.

Rachel Gallaher is a Seattle-based freelance writer and the deputy editor at Gray Magazine. This story originally appeared in ALASKA BEYOND MAGAZINE—MARCH 2020.