Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines
Founded	April 14, 1932
Commenced operations	June 6, 1944
AOC #	ASAA802A
Hubs	Anchorage Los Angeles Portland (OR) San Francisco Seattle/Tacoma
Frequent-flyer program	Mileage Plan
Fleet size	305
Destinations	117
Parent company	Alaska Air Group
Employees	22,918 (Oct. 2022)

Alaska Airlines (NYSE: ALK) is a large airline from the United States. They are headquartered in Seattle, Washington, where they have one of their five hubs. Alaska Airlines also has hubs in Anchorage, Alaska, Los Angeles, California and Portland, Oregon. The company was named the top "Traditional Carrier" in customer satisfaction for the third year in a row by J. D. Power and Associates. As of 2023, it goes to 117 cities and has 305 airplanes.

History

Alaska Airlines began in 1932 with the name "McGee Airways". McGee Airways was combined with several other airlines in 1934 and this created "Star Air Lines". ^[1] The name was finally changed to "Alaska Airlines" on May 2, 1944. ^[2] Starting in 1947, Alaska Airlines bought many new planes. In the 1950s, Alaska Airlines started flying many worldwide charter (irregular) flights. The government later said that Alaska Airlines could only fly in the state of Alaska. In 1961, Alaska Airlines started flying to the Continental United States. In the 1970s, Alaska Airlines started flying charters to the Soviet Union. ^[3] In 1972, Alaska Airlines introduced its famous "Eskimo" logo which is still used today. ^[4] In 1985, Alaska started flying to many new cities in the West Coast of the United States. In 1988, Alaska Airlines started its first flights to Mexico. In the 1990s, Alaska Airlines became the first to sell tickets on the internet, to have self-service check-in and to have GPS on its planes. ^[5] On January 31, 2000, an Alaska Airlines plane crashed in the Pacific Ocean. That crash led to many changes at the airline over the following years. ^[6] Alaska Airlines introduced a brand new logo on January 25, 2016. ^[7] Alaska Airlines and Virgin America announced plans to merge on April 4, 2016. The merged airline kept the Alaska Airlines name, with Virgin America flying for the last time on April 24, 2018.^[8]

Gallery

Alaska Airlines headquarters building
An Alaska Airlines Boeing 727 in November 1979.
An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-400
An Alaska Airlines 737-800
An Alaska Airlines Embraer E175

Alaska Airlines Media

A Stinson "S" Junior aircraft of McGee Airways: McGee Airways was the precursor to present-day Alaska Airlines.
Alaska Airlines Douglas DC-3, one of the aircraft purchased by the airline after World War II
The Convair 880 was Alaska Airlines' first jet aircraft.
A Boeing 727-100 at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport. The airline introduced this type in the mid 1960s.
A Boeing 727-200Adv on approach to Los Angeles International Airport, showing the new livery and logo introduced in the early 1970s
Alaska Airlines was the launch customer for the MD-83 and operated many of these jets throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900 at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport. Alaska was the launch customer of the 737-900 aircraft.
The Boeing 737-800 replaced the airline's MD-83s, which were retired in August 2008.
Alaska Airlines 737-400 Combi aircraft at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport