ANCHORAGE- In January, Alaska Airlines (AS) initiated the new year by making a significant shift from plastic to responsibly sourced paper cups for inflight beverages.
This strategic move eliminates over 55 million plastic cups annually and substitutes them with a more environmentally-friendly alternative.
Alaska Airlines Destinations
The airline embarked on the journey of reducing its five major sources of plastic waste in 2018, starting with the removal of plastic straws and stir sticks from inflight service—an unprecedented step for any airline at that time.
The consolidation of its brands will enhance benefits and options for travelers across Hawai’i and the West Coast, fostering connectivity across Asia, Oceania, and the Pacific.
Alaska Airlines’ CARE Miles program provides Mileage Plan™ members with a distinctive and meaningful way to support significant causes. Miles donated to this program, contributing to aiding charities with business travel, accommodating special organizational requests, and advancing the organization’s mission.
In the aftermath of the wildfires that wrought havoc on West Maui, Alaska played a crucial role in transporting 220,000 pounds of relief supplies to the affected communities.
The airline promptly deployed rescue flights to assist evacuees in leaving the island, creating space for recovery operations. Collaborating with its longstanding partner, the local non-profit Kanu Hawaiʻi, Alaska facilitated the distribution of nearly 30 million miles.
These miles, donated by Alaska, its employees, and guests, were allocated to individuals requiring assistance who could no longer bear the financial burden of air travel. To date, a total of 544 Maui residents affected by the wildfires have benefited from these donated miles.
Better Global Connectivity
In October, Alaska Airlines introduced a distinctive coffee blend in collaboration with Portland-based Stumptown Coffee Roasters, set to be available on all flights by year-end. Additionally, passengers can enjoy Stumptown coffee in its lounges in Portland and JFK.
Booking flights is now more convenient, with the option to reserve seats on 21 of its global airline partners directly on alaskaair.com. These partners include American, Qantas, Air Tahiti Nui, Qatar, JAL, Iberia, Icelandair, Condor, and Finnair.
This year, Alaska Airlines expanded our route offerings, enabling travelers to reach destinations like the Bahamas from Seattle and Los Angeles, as well as Guatemala from Los Angeles. This extends Alaska’s reach to six countries from its West Coast hubs, including Canada, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Bahamas.
Moreover, Alaska Airlines announced new routes from Anchorage to New York JFK and San Diego, commencing in 2024. The ANC-JFK route, spanning 3,386 miles, will become the longest in its network and the lengthiest domestic flight in the industry using a 737.
Airline of the Year
Who doesn’t appreciate the allure of that new airplane aroma? In the current year, the airline upgraded its fleet by introducing new 737-9 MAX aircraft. Additionally, Horizon Air underwent a significant transformation, transitioning into an all-jet fleet with the induction of new E175 aircraft following the retirement of the Q400.
Responding to feedback from our valued Alaska Airlines guests, who expressed their satisfaction with our fresh food options but expressed a desire for more variety, has enhanced its food offerings. This included doubling the number of pre-order choices in the main cabin and providing first-class guests with up to five distinct entrees for their flights. The airline also reintroduced some guest favorites through the ‘Greatest Hits’ menu and introduced a nonalcoholic beer for the first time.
In a notable achievement, Alaska Airlines was honored with the title of “Airline of the Year” by the Centre for Aviation at the World Aviation Summit in Abu Dhabi on November 28.
The CAPA Airline of the Year Award recognizes the airline that has demonstrated exceptional strategic prominence throughout the year, made a profound impact on the advancement of the airline industry, positioned itself as a trailblazer, and set a benchmark for others to emulate.
In addition to this prestigious recognition, here are some other accolades that the airline proudly received this year:
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