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‘Have an ice day’ at the World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks, Alaska

A pirate ship, a superhero scene, a faucet with a round, glistening drop of water. These are just some of the otherworldly ice sculptures on display through the end of the month at Ice Alaska: 2015 BP World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Artists travel from all around the world for the chance to work with Fairbanks ice, some of the clearest in the world.

They use chisels, chainsaws and heat guns to sculpt massive, detailed ice sculptures. Each artist also helps construct the Kids Park – an outdoor playground complete with slides, tunnels and climbing structures, made completely out of ice.

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Fly away with Major League Soccer: Flight discounts to away games

The Major League Soccer season kicked off this month, and Alaska Airlines is making it even easier for fans to follow their favorite team on the road. As a proud sponsor of many of these MLS teams, Alaska is offering up to 10 percent off on away game flights. Pack your colors, visit these amazing places and cheer on your favorite players with these Major League Soccer discounts.

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Pulling together: In the ‘last great race on Earth,’ sled dogs are family

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Two days before the ceremonial start of the 2015 Iditarod, 78 mushers gathered for a welcome in a hotel conference room in Anchorage, Alaska.

In among the sweatshirt, bivy sack and other pre-race swag given to the mushers is a small but very important notebook: the vet book. It is in this notebook that a team of volunteer veterinarians stationed along the trail’s 18 checkpoints will document careful notes about every single dog that passes through every checkpoint.

The Iditarod is a race, so the big prize is a first-place finish. But according to most mushers and volunteers, there’s a trophy that’s even more special: the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award, presented by Alaska Airlines.

“I believe that other than winning the Iditarod, this award means more to the mushers than any other award,” says Marilyn Romano, Alaska Airlines’ regional vice president in the state of Alaska. “I’ve only ever seen two standing ovations at the Iditarod: one is for winning the race and one is for the Leonhard Seppala award.”

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Fly away: 5 tips for fans at spring training, from Robinson Cano and friends

Spring training is the perfect time for fans to soak up the warm Arizona sunshine as they get close to big baseball stars in small baseball parks.

Robinson Cano by Cole Cosgrove
Robinson Cano sports a lapel pin that says “Yo Soy Alaska” (“I am Alaska” in Spanish). #iamalaska

Through April 4, half the teams in Major League Baseball, including the Seattle Mariners, will play their spring games in the Phoenix area. Now is the time to book your flight.

To make the most of your time before and after games, we sought advice from Robinson Cano, the All-Star second baseman for the Seattle Mariners.

“I’m in work mode when I’m here for spring training, so I don’t get to hang out much,” Cano said Tuesday. “But I do love to eat a nice dinner after we practice.”

So where do you go, Cano?

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Employee Q&A with Russell Wilson

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Alaska Airlines’ Chief Football Officer Russell Wilson recently sat down to answer questions submitted by Alaska employees.

Caleb Jones (station operations, Seattle): How do you keep up your drive and determination and continue to focus on winning after such a difficult finish to an otherwise remarkable season?

Russell Wilson: I am only 26 years old. I have so much of my career ahead of me. I am excited for the challenge of growing as a player and person, and just getting better every day. I don’t look backward, only forward. Every year is a new opportunity to do great things.

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Alaska Airlines helps students build a plane, learn to fly

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Inside a small hangar, the parts and components of a two-seat plane are starting to come together, piece by piece, built by teenagers, guided by mentors.

Alaska Airlines supports these next-generation aviators through a fledgling program that teaches high school students how to build a plane and learn to fly it. Called TeenFlight Puyallup, the nonprofit club matches experienced professionals with kids interested in aviation, supported by donations from the airline.

The first aircraft is almost complete, constructed during twice-a-week “build” sessions at Thun Field Pierce County Airport, about 30 miles south of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

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It’s unfair to tax all Sea-Tac passengers for new international terminal

Originally published in the Seattle Times on Feb. 23, 2015

By Joe Sprague, senior vice president of communications and external relations for Alaska Airlines.

NOBODY likes waiting in line. It makes sense that the Port of Seattle would want to improve the international terminal at Sea-Tac Airport so that travelers arriving from Shanghai and Paris can clear customs and retrieve their luggage quickly. But when passengers arriving from Yakima, Walla Walla and every other city across the U.S. have to pay for the new international facility, we have a big problem.

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Explore more with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

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At Alaska, we believe our Mileage Plan is best in class. But don’t just take our word for it – in 2014, Mileage Plan ranked highest in J.D. Power’s first-ever 2014 Airline Loyalty/Rewards Program Satisfaction ReportSM. This week, the Los Angeles Times recommended Alaska’s Mileage Plan as a top pick for elite status for fliers in the L.A. area.

As many loyalty programs cut benefits or add hoops to jump through, Alaska’s managing director of loyalty marketing and customer care Caroline Boren says the airline is focused on making its program even better for all members.

“Mileage Plan really punches above its weight class, and we want to keep it that way,” says Boren. “It’s a much bigger program than the size of our airline, and with our 14 partner airlines, you can truly earn and redeem miles for travel worldwide.”

Alaska is working on additional Mileage Plan enhancements in 2015.

New this summer: not only do Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® consumer cardholders get a companion fare each year, but they’ll get their first checked bag free on every flight.

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Travel like a pro: How to snag a better seat on the airplane

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For some, traveling can be a real challenge. Airports are hectic with so much happening at once. It’s no wonder that people get stressed out. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are four simple tricks that can help ease your way and get you to your destination in the seat of your choice with a minimum of fuss.

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Throwback Thursday: Windshield sushi – Alaska Airlines jet really did hit a fish in midair

The airplane that hit a fish is one of the most legendary stories in Alaska Airlines lore.

Like all great fish tales, the size of the fish grows with every telling, but the story that made headlines around the world in 1987 is completely true. (Although it probably didn’t help that newspapers published the story on April Fool’s Day.)

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Alaska Airlines gives a lift to ANSEP students

Oct. 20, 2017 update:

Alaska Airlines is continuing its partnership with the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program by investing an additional $1 million over the next three years. This brings Alaska Airlines total investment in the program to $2 million and will allow an additional 2,000 students from rural Alaska to participate in ANSEP.

This support is a part of Alaska Airlines’ continued commitment to support youth and education efforts in the communities they serve. In 2016, Alaska Airlines donated $3.6 million to over 300 nonprofits in the state of Alaska. Learn more about Alaska’s continued investment in ANSEP here.

Original story:

The temperature was well below zero when the sun began to rise on the frozen Kuskowim River in Bethel, Alaska. The bone-chilling dark slowly gave way to a pink glow that cast a warm light on this rural Alaska community.

When the sun finally peeked over the horizon at 9:45 a.m., residents were well into their daily routines. But this January morning was a bit different: 50 students from Bethel and remote villages gathered with packed bags for a special 12-day journey that could have ripple effects through the rest of their lives.

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How’d they film that? Alaska Airlines’ Disney airplanes star in new air-to-air video

In the world of aviation photography, the money shot looks like this: Alaska Airlines’ bright-blue Disney plane soars through billowy white clouds, perfectly spotlighted by midmorning sun. The Boeing 737-900 banks slightly to showcase its colorful fuselage painted with the “Fab Five” – Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto and Goofy – along with the cheerful words, “We’re going to Disneyland.”

In an age of computer-generated everything, the surreal scenes look animated. But this magic is real.

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