Showing posts with label Alaska Airlines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alaska Airlines. Show all posts

17 February, 2024

Hawaiian Holdings Stockholders approve of takeover by Alaska Air Group




Hawaiian Holdings, the parent of Hawaiian Airlines has confirmed this week that its stockholders have voted to agree to the takeover by the Alaska Air Group.  To save face, the management is calling it a merger and advised that the substantial majority of the holders of Hawaiian’s stock voted in favour of the merger, according to preliminary results from the special meeting held on Friday. Hawaiian will file the final voting results, as tabulated by an independent inspector of elections, on a Form 8-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Stockholder approval of our transaction with Alaska is an important milestone toward combining our airlines,” said Hawaiian Airlines President and CEO Peter Ingram. “Together, we will bring stronger competition to the U.S. airline industry, deliver more value to our guests and the communities that we serve, and provide greater job opportunities for our employees.”

The transaction remains subject to receipt of required regulatory approvals, along with other customary closing conditions. Hawaiian and Alaska continue to expect to complete the transaction within 12 to 18 months of the announcement of the transaction, which occurred on 3rd December 2023.


Your travel planning isn’t complete without learning the language—or at least some essential phrases. Fully immerse yourself in the language, or use Phrasebook to learn travel essentials—the choice is yours!

06 February, 2024

Four bolts missing from door plug of Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9...

The U.S. FAA has confirmed that not one, not two, not three, but four bolts used to hold a door plug on a Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet belonging to Alaska Airlines were missing, allowing the door panel to fall off during a flight in January.

The U.S. Safety Board investigating the incident said that evidence released this week shows bolts were missing from the door plug, which had been removed to fix rivets that were damaged in the production process.

The NTSB had previously remained silent on the cause for the panel to rip off during a flight operated by Alaska Airlines, but now it has confirmed that "The investigation continues to determine what manufacturing documents were used to authorize the opening and closing" of the plug during the rivet rework,"  The troubled aircraft had recently experienced pressurisation warnings on previous flights had climbed to around 16,000 feet following departure from Portland, Oregon.

The NTSB said it had been focused on how this panel or door plug which is fitted into a number of Boeing 737 MAX 9 models as a replacement for an optional emergency exit - detached from the Alaska Air plane. The report indicates that the plug is held down by four bolts, and then secured by "stop fittings" at 12 different locations along the side of the plug and the door frame.

27 January, 2024

Alaska Airlines putting 737 MAX 9s back in service

Alaska Airlines has confirmed it has completed final inspections on its first group of 737-MAX 9 aircraft and has returned the type to active service, with the first flight operating between Seattle to San Diego.

On January 24th, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved the detailed inspection and maintenance process for the troubled 737-MAX 9 to return to flying following the door plug blowout that grounded the aircraft. 

Alaska says its technicians began the inspections that same night following the FAA directive and expects to have the whole fleet checked by the end of next week.




26 January, 2024

Boeing's MAX production issues ripple across aerospace industry

Boeing's troubles with its 737 MAX jets are upending the aerospace industry's 2024 plans,
changing airlines' fleet and expansion goals as U.S. regulators froze production of the best-selling jets.

The FAA ramped up scrutiny of Boeing after a frightening Jan. 5 incident when a cabin panel tore off of an Alaska Airlines jet mid-flight. The plane landed safely with only minor injuries to people on board - but that experience has forced the industry to grapple with problems with Boeing's manufacturing and quality control processes.


The FAA late Wednesday froze increases in production of the single-aisle 737 MAX due to the issues, which have frustrated executives dependent on Boeing, one of only two major global plane manufacturers.

"Boeing needs to get their act together," said American Airlines CEO Robert Isom. "It is hard enough running an airline. We need quality product, and that's what we demand."

The FAA's order means Boeing can continue producing MAX jets at its current monthly rate, but it cannot increase that rate. It offered no estimate of how long the limitation would last and did not specify the number of planes Boeing can produce each month.

The FAA's unprecedented intervention in production schedules could further delay some deliveries of new planes to airlines and hurt suppliers already reeling from an earlier MAX crisis and the pandemic.

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun told Reuters on Thursday that he supported the FAA decision. "We all want safe airplanes. This is a safe aeroplane," he said in Washington, where he has been meeting with U.S. legislators.

08 January, 2024

United Airlines finds loose bolts during inspections of 737 MAX 9 planes....


United Airlines says it has found bolts in need of "additional tightening" during inspections of Boeing 737 MAX 9 which had been removed from service following the blowout of a doorplug on an Alaska Airlines aircraft last week. 

United Airlines said it believed these to be "installation issues" relating to door plugs and these will be "remedied" before the aircraft type can return to operational use. 

"Since we began preliminary inspections on Saturday, we have found instances that appear to relate to installation issues in the door plug - for example, bolts that needed additional tightening." the statement said. 

The grounding of the 737 MAX 9 jets has caused United to cancel over 200 flights as of Monday and the U.S. mega-carrier expects a significant number of cancellations on Tuesday.  "We have been able to operate some planned flights by switching to other aircraft types, avoiding about 30 cancellations each on Monday and Tuesday,". 



Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 had three previous pressure warnings before blowout flight.

Jennifer Homendy, chair of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said today that the Boeing 737 MAX 9 that suffered a blowout had been restricted by the carrier, Alaska Airlines from doing long flights over water because of three previous warnings of potential pressurization problems

According to Homendy, the warning light illuminated on three different occasions - 7 December, 3 January and 4 January leading the airline to restrict it from operating flights to Hawaii or other long flights over water so the 737 MAX 9 “could return very quickly to an airport” if the warning light reappeared

Whilst it is unclear if the previous warnings were connected with the incident on Friday when a plug covering an unused emergency exit door blew off the plane as it flew over Oregon.  The door plug is 26 by 48 inches and weighs 63 pounds / 28.5 kilograms. The NTSB confirmed the lost door plug had been found in the garden of a teacher from Portland and would soon be examined by investigators.

Homendy also said that the depressurization and rush of air damaged a number of seats, pulled insulation from the walls, and caused the cockpit door to flew open. She said the force of air also ripped the headset off the co-pilot and the captain lost part of her headset. A quick reference checklist flew out of the open cockpit. The cockpit doors are supposed to be incredibly strong and locked at all times during a flight following the 9/11 hijackings, so shouldn't have been able to be opened by the wind. 

 Aviation services provider AAR Corp confirmed that it had worked on the aircraft for Alaska Airlines, but had not worked on that area of the aircraft.  "AAR was contracted by Alaska Airlines to perform a 2KU Modification (WiFi modification) on the aircraft that was performed from Nov. 27 to Dec. 7, 2023," AAR said in a statement on Monday. 

Airlines have now been cleared to carry out urgent checks on the 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 jets that are in service after Boeing issued detailed instructions on Monday, which were approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. These checks, rapidly introduced before the cause of the plug blowing out is known are said to take between 4 and 8 hours could be an indication of the pressure being brought by the manufacturer to stem the damage to the reputation of the MAX series of aircraft. 

 




Cockpit voice recorder data on the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet which lost a panel mid-flight on Friday was overwritten.....

The cockpit voice recorder data on the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet which lost a panel mid-flight on Friday was overwritten, U.S. authorities said, renewing attention on an industry call for longer in-flight recordings. By Valerie Insinna, David Shepardson and Lisa Barrington for Reuters. 

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) chair Jennifer Homendy said on Sunday no data was available on the cockpit voice recorder because it was not retrieved within two hours - when recording restarts, erasing previous data.

The U.S. requires cockpit voice recorders to log two hours of data versus 25 hours in Europe for planes made after 2021.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has since 2016 called for 25-hour recording on planes manufactured from 2021.

"There was a lot going on, on the flight deck and on the plane. It's a very chaotic event. The circuit breaker for the CVR (cockpit voice recorder) was not pulled. The maintenance team went out to get it, but it was right at about the two-hour mark," Homendy said.

The plane's flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were sent to NTSB labs on Sunday to be read but no voice data was available, she said.

07 January, 2024

Boeing 737 MAX - US grounds some Boeing MAX planes for safety checks following Alaska Airlines aircraft suffers blowout


U.S. regulators on Saturday temporarily grounded 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 jetliners for safety checks following a cabin panel blowout that forced a new Alaska Airlines jet carrying passengers to make an emergency landing, reports Reuters. 

A piece of fuselage tore off the left side of the jet as it climbed following takeoff from Portland, Oregon, en route to Ontario, California, on Friday, forcing pilots to turn back and land safely with all 171 passengers and six crew on board.

Several passengers suffered injuries. The plane had been in service for just eight weeks.

Late on Saturday, both Alaska Air and United Airlines (UAL.O) said they would halt use of some MAX 9 planes they had resumed using that day after inspections they believed would answer the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)'s concerns.

Alaska said it was in talks "to determine what, if any, further work is required before these aircraft are returned to service."

The FAA decision is well short of the global grounding of Boeing (BA.N) MAX jets almost five years ago after two crashes that killed nearly 350 people.

Still, it is a blow to Boeing as it tries to recover from back-to-back crises over safety and the pandemic under heavy debt.

The FAA did not rule out further action as a probe began into the apparent structural failure, which left a rectangular hole in an area of fuselage reserved for an optional extra door but which is deactivated on Alaska's aircraft.

The Boeing 737 MAX 9s fitted with a special door replacement "plug" cannot fly until they are inspected and repaired if necessary, the FAA said.

"The FAA is requiring immediate inspections of certain Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes before they can return to flight," FAA chief Mike Whitaker said.

Social media posts of the Alaska Airlines jet showed oxygen masks deployed and a portion of the aircraft's side wall missing.

A section of the fuselage reserved for the optional door had vanished, leaving a neat door-shaped gap. The seat next to the panel, which contained an ordinary window, had been unoccupied.

14 December, 2023

Porter Airlines and Alaska Airlines announce key strategic partnership

Porter Airlines and Alaska Airlines have announced a broad partnership, taking advantage of Porter’s strong presence across Eastern Canada and Alaska’s well-established U.S. West Coast links to provide passengers more flight options and better service from coast to coast.

The new interline agreement means that from today, passengers can purchase combined Porter-Alaska itineraries directly from flyporter.com or via third-party agencies.

Alaska’s Mileage Plan members can start earning points on Porter flights booked via Alaska Airlines from January, and later in 2024 both VIPorter and Mileage Plan members will earn miles in their respective loyalty programs no matter where they book their flights.

Finally, next year will bring even more benefits with access to mileage redemptions with enhanced availability for both VIPorter and Mileage Plan members on each other’s airline. Porter and Alaska will continue to strengthen their partnership in 2024.

“This partnership with Alaska Airlines is a significant win for passengers looking for more choice and better service when flying within Canada and the United States,” said Kevin Jackson, executive vice president and chief commercial officer, Porter Airlines. “Alaska and Porter emphasize passenger service excellence on each and every flight. We’re excited about what this means for passengers across North America.”

03 December, 2023

Alaska Airlines to buy Hawaiian Airlines for $1.9billion......

Alaska Air Group and Hawaiian Holdings have confirmed that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Alaska Airlines will acquire Hawaiian Airlines for $18.00 per share in cash, for a transaction value of approximately $1.9 billion, inclusive of $0.9 billion of Hawaiian Airlines net debt. 


The transaction is expected to enable a stronger platform for growth and competition in the U.S., as well as long-term job opportunities for employees, continued investment in local communities and environmental stewardship.

Alaska's publicity team hype it as a natural alliance of the big airlines of the 49th and 50th U.S. states, which are uniquely reliant upon air travel. The buyout will build on the 90+ year legacies and cultures of these two service-oriented airlines, preserve both beloved brands on a single operating platform, and protect and grow union-represented jobs and economic development.

Ben Minicucci, Alaska Airlines CEO said: “This combination is an exciting next step in our collective journey to provide a better travel experience for our guests and expand options for West Coast and Hawai‘i travellers. 

Our two airlines are powered by incredible employees, with 90+ year legacies and values grounded in caring for the special places and people that we serve. I am grateful to the more than 23,000 Alaska Airlines employees who are proud to have served Hawai‘i for over 16 years, and we are fully committed to investing in the communities of Hawai‘i and maintaining the robust Neighbor Island service that Hawaiian Airlines travellers have come to expect. We look forward to deepening this stewardship as our airlines come together while providing unmatched value to customers, employees, communities and owners.”

 Hawaiian Airlines President and CEO. “In Alaska Airlines, we are joining an airline that has long served Hawai‘i and has a complementary network and a shared culture of service. With the additional scale and resources that this transaction with Alaska Airlines brings, we will be able to accelerate investments in our guest experience and technology, while maintaining the Hawaiian Airlines brand."

However, sources close to the deal have used various forums to slam the deal and the proposed benefits of the take-over that Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines have published.  According to some,  the Hawaiian brand will be axed within five years of the deal being finalised and is scheduled to be completely retired by the end of 2029. Staff numbers will be reduced, according to an Alaska Air staff member,  by around 3500, however, it is not known if these positions will be lost through natural wastage or from which airline they will be from. 

Initially, the carriers will retain their brand identity, however, will integrate into a single operating platform and uniformity of service will be introduced. The joint company will continue to offer the same fare points or cabins as currently in operation until the low-cost model can be introduced later on most routes.

06 November, 2023

Alaska Airlines and Condor expand codeshare deal

Alaska Airlines has confirmed it will be expanding the partnership with Condor Airlines, a global partner for the carrier since March 2017.

The bilateral codeshare agreement enables Alaska and Condor to sell each other’s flights and just last week, the German leisure airline, Condor began marketing and selling more than 70 Alaska routes across the U.S. This summer, Alaska began marketing and selling from Condor’s 12 U.S. gateway cities to Frankfurt, Germany – the carrier’s home airport – including Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles (LAX) and Anchorage. Each airline can sell the seats on selected flights as if they were their own, in a sense putting their “code” on the flights. It offers a seamless travel experience for guests across the two airlines. Flyers will enjoy the simplicity of purchasing connecting flights on both airlines using one reservation, along with seamless ticketing, check-in, boarding and checked baggage during their travel. 

“We continue to bolster our international partner portfolio, giving our guests convenient access to more of the globe. Condor provides a key link with its nonstops from Alaska’s gateway cities to Europe and beyond,” said Nat Pieper, senior vice president of fleet, finance and alliances at Alaska Airlines. “We look forward to expanding our codeshare with Condor to destinations beyond Frankfurt in the near future.”  

Condor’s newest addition to its fleet is the Airbus A330neo, known for the quietest cabin in the world compared to other aircraft of its size. Condor flies the A330neo between the U.S. and Germany in a three-class configuration: business, premium economy and economy.  


The airline recently launched its new business class product with lie-flat seats that include a larger bed and wider legroom, plus a gourmet menu and beverage service. Premium economy class also offers additional legroom with footrests to help stretch out, and meal service and complimentary beverages. All classes enjoy generous storage space, state-of-the-art inflight entertainment systems with 4K monitors and Bluetooth connectivity to use with personal wireless headphones. 


Condor is expanding in the U.S. The airline recently announced it will begin new nonstop service from both Miami and San Antonio to Frankfurt in May 2024. 





04 November, 2023

Horizon Air names Jason Berry as president

 

This week, the Horizon Air Board of Directors elected Jason Berry as president of Horizon Air. A 28-year industry veteran, Berry will lead strategy, oversee operations and engage the airline’s nearly 3,500 employees, as the airline continues to deliver exceptional regional air service on behalf of Alaska Airlines. Berry replaces Joe Sprague, who is retiring as Horizon president after four years and will shift to a senior advisor role at Alaska Airlines.    
 
Berry joined Horizon in early 2023 as senior vice president, operations. In this role he oversaw key aspects of the airline’s operations including employees in the regional carrier’s four largest workgroups. 

“I’ve had the opportunity to get to know our Horizon team over the past nine months and our employees are truly remarkable,” Berry said. “Horizon is an incredibly well-run airline, and our people have a special dedication and heart. The opportunity to lead Horizon is an immense honour.”


23 October, 2023

Off-duty Horizon Air pilot charged with attempted murder after tying to cut the power in flight.


An off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot has been charged with 83 counts of attempted murder, the UK's BBC has reported,  after he tried to crash the passenger jet he was flying on between  Everett, Washington, to San Francisco on Sunday.

The initial reports indicate the off-duty flyer was on the jumpseat in the cockpit and tried to disrupt the throttling of the engines at a crucial phase of the flight. Alaska Airlines said he  "unsuccessfully attempted to disrupt the operation of the engines.".  The man has been named locally by law enforcement as Joseph David Emerson, aged 44.

The incident is now being investigated by the Port of Portland Police Department and the FBI, the airline said, with the FBI confirming it was investigating the incident and said it "can assure the travelling public there is no continuing threat related to this incident".


In addition to the attempted murder charges, Mr Emerson also faces 83 counts of reckless endangerment and one count of endangering an aircraft. 

The carrier said the plane was operated by Horizon Air, diverted to Portland because of the incident and "All passengers on board were able to travel on a later flight.  -  We are grateful for the professional handling of the situation by the Horizon flight crew and appreciate our guests' calm and patience throughout this event." 

21 October, 2023

Alaska Airlines to add new nonstop services from Anchorage to New York City and San Diego


Alaska Airlines is connecting Anchorage to both New York City and San Diego with seasonal nonstop service next summer. Daily flights to New York JFK begin June 13, 2024, and weekly flights to San Diego start May 18, 2024. 


The new nonstop between the Big Apple and Anchorage will be unique to Alaska Airlines and will open up the last frontier to New Yorkers and open up the whole region. At a distance of some 3,386 miles, it will be the longest flight in Alaska's network and is scheduled to be operated by Boeing 737 MAX 8 jet.  

We’re eager to welcome guests to our great state from the city that never sleeps to the land of the midnight sun on Alaska’s new nonstop flight,” said Jillian Simpson, president and CEO of the Alaska Travel Industry Association (ATIA). “Summer is an incredible time to visit Alaska with our warm, long days. There’s so much to do in Anchorage and in the smaller towns nearby, mapping out your itinerary might be the toughest thing you do before heading west.”

20 October, 2023

Alaska Airlines latest results.....


Alaska Air Group has just reported financial results for the third quarter ending September 30, 2023, and provided outlook for the fourth quarter ending December 31, 2023.  

"I am grateful to our people for delivering industry-leading operational performance and strong cost discipline this quarter,” said CEO Ben Minicucci. “Our 11.4% adjusted pretax margin is among the best in the industry despite external headwinds. Our investments in our all-Boeing fleet, premium seating on 100% of our aircraft and access for our loyalty members to a global alliance provide our guests with a premium domestic product that rivals any in the industry."

Financial Highlights:

  • Reported net income for the third quarter of 2023 under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) of $139 million, or $1.08 per share, compared to a net income of $40 million, or $0.31 per share, for the third quarter of 2022.
  • Reported net income for the third quarter of 2023, excluding special items and mark-to-market fuel hedge accounting adjustments, of $237 million, or $1.83 per share, compared to $325 million, or $2.53 per share, for the third quarter of 2022.
  • Recorded $2.8 billion in operating revenue.
  • Reduced CASM excluding fuel and special items by 5% compared to the third quarter of 2022.
  • Repurchased 248,988 shares of common stock for approximately $13 million, bringing total repurchases to $70 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.
  • Generated $271 million in operating cash flow for the third quarter of 2023.
  • Held $2.5 billion in unrestricted cash and marketable securities as of September 30, 2023.
  • Ended the quarter with a debt-to-capitalization ratio of 48%, within the target range of 40% to 50%.

25 September, 2023

Alaska Airlines to launch new service to Atlanta next year.


Alaska Airlines is launching another new route - nonstop between San Diego and Atlanta.  This new route won't start until 16th May next year and from then on, it will be a daily operation.  Alaska will compete directly with Delta Air Lines which already operates up to six daily flights between the two cities and provides an excellent onward connection service at Atlanta. 


"We want to provide our guests in San Diego the most nonstop options,” said Kirsten Amrine, vice president of revenue management and network planning for Alaska Airlines. “Not only are San Diego and Atlanta popular destinations for leisure travellers, but both are also major business hubs. We’re excited to connect the cities, especially since Atlanta is our largest  unserved transcontinental market from San Diego.” 

“We appreciate Alaska Airlines' new options to destinations across the country,” said Kimberly Becker, San Diego County Regional Airport Authority President & CEO. “This new nonstop service to Atlanta offers Southern Californians direct access to Georgia’s capital and key economic centre, while providing easy access for Georgians to the warmth and beauty of San Diego.” 


22 September, 2023

Alaska Airlines unveils two new special sports team livery jets...

This autumn Alaska Airlines has painted not one, but two new aircraft with the colours of local sports teams. The two new aircraft show off the relationship the carrier has with Washington State University (WSU) and the University of Washington (UW).  




The Embraer E175 “Go Cougs” aircraft will take to the skies this Saturday, 23rd September from Seattle to Pullman ahead of WSU’s matchup against the Oregon State Beavers. 




On 3rd October the “Go Dawgs” special UW-themed aircraft will be introduced to fans departing Seattle to Portland. 

 "Since launching our first university-themed livery almost 20 years ago, we know that few things get local fans as excited as seeing their school’s colours on the side of the hometown airlines’ aeroplanes," said Joe Sprague, Horizon Air president.  

11 August, 2023

Airlines transport relief supplies to Maui as wildfires claim 55 lives

The wildfires that have spread across Maui have claimed the lives of at least 55 people, local authorities report and the death toll is likely to increase. Governor Josh Green said the inferno that reduced much of Lahaina to smouldering ruins was the worst natural disaster in the state's history, making thousands of people homeless and levelling as many as 1,000 buildings.  



Thousands of locals and tourists were evacuated from the western side of Maui with some taking shelter elsewhere on the island or on Oahu. Many tourists camped in the Kahului Airport, waiting for flights back home.

Alaska Airlines has operated special rescue flights to Maui filled with relief supplies including water, non-perishable food, pillows, blankets, towels, wipes, baby formula and diapers. The aircraft transported passengers back to Seattle. 

The carrier said it was closely monitoring the devastating impacts of the wildfires on Maui and would even be operating unscheduled flights between Maui and Honolulu to move guests off of Maui and bring critical supplies in. 

Our hearts are with those on Maui, and our employees and their families, during this devastating time,” said Daniel Chun, Alaska’s Director of Sales, Community & Public Relations in Hawaii. “We hope we can help bring much-needed care and relief to those who’ve experienced catastrophic loss throughout the community.” 

The airline issued the following advice for passengers with bookings on flights to Hawai'i.   

Traveling to/from Maui 
We are offering a flexible travel policy if you would like to change or cancel your flight to Maui.  

In accordance with emergency orders from the state of Hawai‘i, we’re discouraging guests from non-essential travel to Maui. The flexible travel policy allows guests with planned travel to Maui to change their flight to another Hawaiian island. Alaska serves Honolulu, O‘ahu; Kona, Hawai‘i; and Līhu‘e, Kaua‘i.  

To help the Maui community, for this emergency, we are allowing guests to cancel their reservations and receive a refund to their original form of payment upon request. As always, you can choose to keep the refund in your Account wallet or receive a credit certificate for future travel, but we are doing everything we can to encourage our guests to rethink their trips to the island right now. 



U.S mega-carrier Delta advised it will contribute $250,000 to the American Red Cross to aid in the disaster response and relief efforts in Maui and other areas of Hawaii coping with the destruction caused by recent wildfires brought on by strong winds as a result of Hurricane Dora, a Category 4 hurricane which passed 300 miles south of the Hawaiian Islands.   Most of the fires on Maui are still burning, forcing thousands of residents and tourists to evacuate. the airline advised, however, the carrier was still selling tickets to Maui for travel tomorrow at fares of £1942.   

Hawaiian Airlines

The boss of local hometown carrier of the islands, Hawaiin Airlines, Peter Ingram said:  “This is an incredibly tragic and sad event, and our hearts go out to everyone impacted on Maui and especially those who have lost loved ones. - Our teams across our operation are working tirelessly to help those affected, including our nearly 500 colleagues who call Maui home. We send our deepest condolences to those impacted by the fires and will continue to leverage every resource we have to support the Maui community."


Here’s how Hawaiian Airlines has supported response efforts in the first 24 hours:

Facilitating essential travel

Ran a full schedule of flights in and out of Maui, including nine additional flights scheduled on both the 9th and 10th of August

Made every main cabin seat from Kahului to Honolulu available at $19 through Aug. 14, so costs would not be an obstacle to those needing to leave.

Issued a travel waiver to allow guests with travel to and from Maui scheduled through Aug. 31 flexibility to change or refund flights.

Cargo

The airline set aside dedicated space on its aircraft to support essential cargo, including life-saving blood and medical supplies, medication, food, water, amenity kits and infrastructure equipment for telecommunications repairs.

Donated and shipped soft goods and catering items, including 300 bottles of Mananalu water, 550 sandwiches, 3,000 snack items, 1,600 amenity kits, mattress pads, lounging pillows and other supplies, for evacuees arriving at Kahului Airport.

Caring for guests and employees

Activated Team Kōkua, Hawaiian’s employee volunteer group, to support guests and staff in Honolulu and Kahului.

Deployed employee members of the Hawaiian Airlines Emergency Assistance Response Team (HEART) to work at the Honolulu Convention Center and other shelter facilities for visitors.

Activated employee support resources for team members on Maui and elsewhere who have been personally affected by these tragic events.

Partnering for relief efforts

Donated seats to first responders, including City and County of Honolulu firefighters to help Maui stations battle the ongoing wildfires.

Nearly 90 million miles (equivalent to 12,000 interisland flights) in joint donation with HawaiianMiles members to the American Red Cross of Hawaii to facilitate travel for volunteers, support personnel and community members in need.

01 August, 2023

SkyWest reports pre-tax income of $18 million and net income of $15 million during quarter two of 2023

U.S. airline SkyWest has released details of its financial and operating results for the second quarter of 2023, including net income of $15 million, or $0.35 per diluted share, compared to net income of $54 million, or $1.07 earnings per diluted share, for Q2 2022.

Chip Childs, Chief Executive Officer of SkyWest, said, “We are making steady headway towards reaching our strategic business objectives and remain optimistic as we continue experiencing strong demand for our products. I want to thank our team of professionals for delivering industry-leading performance throughout the second quarter.”

SkyWest Airlines has a fleet of approximately 500 aircraft connecting passengers to over 240 destinations throughout North America. SkyWest Airlines operates through partnerships with United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines carrying more than 40 million passengers in 2022.

Under its previously announced share repurchase programs, SkyWest repurchased 3.3 million shares of common stock for $94 million during Q2 2023. In total, during the first half of 2023, SkyWest repurchased 8.4 million shares of common stock for $194 million, which represented 17% of SkyWest’s outstanding shares as of December 31, 2022. The current share repurchase program authorized by the SkyWest Board of Directors in May 2023 had $186 million of remaining availability as of June 30, 2023.

Financial Results


Revenue was $726 million in Q2 2023, down $73 million, or 9%, from $799 million in Q2 2022. SkyWest deferred recognizing $60 million of revenue during Q2 2023 compared to recognizing previously deferred revenue of $16 million during Q2 2022. The amount of revenue deferred during Q2 2023 was driven by modified terms relating to fixed monthly cash payments under SkyWest’s previously announced amended flying contracts. See the “Other Supplemental Cash Flow Information” section of this release for more information. The remaining reduction in revenue was attributed to a decrease in block hour production in Q2 2023 compared to Q2 2022.

Operating expenses were $694 million in Q2 2023, down $16 million, or 2%, from $710 million in Q2 2022, driven by decreases in operating costs as a result of lower Q2 2023 block hour production compared to Q2 2022, partially offset by increases in employee compensation, including higher pilot pay scales.

Capital and Liquidity


SkyWest had $862 million in cash and marketable securities at June 30, 2023, down from $936 million at March 31, 2023 and $1.0 billion at December 31, 2022.

Total debt at June 30, 2023 was $3.2 billion, down from $3.3 billion at March 31, 2023 and $3.4 billion at December 31, 2022. Capital expenditures during Q2 2023 were $31 million for spare engines and other fixed assets.

Status Update on Previously Announced Agreements


SkyWest anticipates adding two E175 aircraft in Q4 2023 and one E175 aircraft in 2024 under a flying contract with Delta Air Lines. SkyWest also anticipates adding one E175 aircraft in 2025 under a flying contract with Alaska Airlines. Timing of future deliveries is subject to change.

By the end of 2025, SkyWest is scheduled to operate a total of 239 E175 aircraft.

21 June, 2023

Alaska Airlines reopens renovated D Concourse Lounge in Seattle


Alaska Airlines is all set to welcome back members and passengers to its popular D Concourse Lounge at the carrier's hometown airport of Seattle, which has been renovated to offer 50% more seating and improved amenities. 

Alaska Airlines has doubled the footprint of lounges with an investment of some $30 million for improvements over the past five years. The airline said its focus was on producing fresh upgrades and new amenities to make the spaces bigger and better than ever. 


The renovated lounge has a new barista station located on the first level so members and guests can grab a quick, hand-crafted espresso beverage or brewed coffee to go (a big request by travellers on their way to their gate), or they can simply hang out for a bit. 


"The revamped D Concourse Lounge in Seattle will be a huge hit with all those travellers who visit. We added thoughtful touches – from being able to quickly grab a delicious hand-crafted espresso beverage to more comfy chairs to relax in."  said Sangita Woerner, senior vice president of marketing and guest experience at Alaska Airlines.

The redesigned D Concourse Lounge features artwork by the influential Coast Salish artist Louie Gong (Nooksack). His unique style merges traditional Native art with influences from his mixed heritage and urban environment to create work that resonates widely across communities and cultures.
.



 /

Search