Page 42 - Globale Traveler

feature | airline update

Reasons to Smile logo, as Alaska Air Group — the parent organization for
Alaska Airlines, Virgin America, Horizon Air and SkyWest
Airlines — says it will be sometime in 2019 before it retires
and repaints the Virgin America brand.
Nevertheless, the native Alaskan grin may broaden, as
the acquisition now catapults the fast-growing airline to the
Alaska Airlines expands routes and fleets exponentially. BY KARIN LEPERI
fifth-largest carrier in the nation. That translates into the
Alaska Air Group offering more flights to more destinations
UNLESS YOU LIVE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, chances are from the Pacific Northwest.
UP TO DATE: you aren’t familiar with Alaska Airlines. However, with the rapid Under the leadership of Brad Tilden, chairman and
(Left to right) New livery,
check-in, and seat-back expansion of routes because of its recent $2.6 billion, all-cash acqui- chief executive officer, Alaska Air Group, headquartered
tablet holder sition of Virgin America, all that is changing in a big way. in Seattle, the combined airlines will continue to focus on
PHOTOS: © ALASKA AIRLINES The hooded Eskimo with a faint smile on the aircraft tail now “low fares, profitable growth of the route network, and on
flies to 117 destinations with nearly 1,200 daily flights in the United becoming the easiest airline to fly.” Passenger comfort and
States, Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica. West Coast hubs include fuel efficiency continue to be the focus.
Seattle (SEA), Portland (PDX), Anchorage (ANC), San Francisco Travelers agree the Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan is
(SFO) and Los Angeles (LAX). But not all aircraft sport the telltale one of the best in the United States, as the airline racks up

42 globaltravelerusa.com FEBRUARY 2018