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 Alaska
Airlines
Having
enjoyed a lifelong fascination with the vast and
rugged North Country and the Alaska-Yukon area in
particular, the story of Alaska Airlines is
particularly intriguing. It is as romantic as any
profile of energy, initiative and the rewards of
following one's dream. As it affects the lives of
those who lived in Northwestern Canada and the USA,
the modern age of exploration started with the
famous bush pilots, who pioneered the Air Highways,
carrying every type of cargo imaginable, often
performing daring deeds of rescue. Several of this
illustrious group started their own airlines and
became living legends. Watch this space for our
version of the Alaska Airlines Story, plus constant
updates on its current services along with news
about its sister company, Horizon Airlines.
You can get the full
story, including some excellent destination
profiles on the following web site:
http://www.alaskaair.com
Alaska Airlines Introduces
Two 737-400 'Combi' Aircraft to
Fleet
Larger, more-advanced
passenger-cargo aircraft part of airline's $100
million investment in cargo service
Alaska Airlines
today introduced two Boeing 737-400 "combi"
aircraft to its fleet to
improve passenger and
cargo service in the state of Alaska. The
larger airplanes
-- converted to transport passengers in the back
and main-deck cargo
in the front -- have more cargo capacity,
more-advanced flight-guidance
capabilities and more-comfortable passenger cabins
than the 737-200
combis they replace.
The aircraft are
part of Alaska Airlines' $100 million plan to
upgrade its
cargo fleet and infrastructure. The airline will
add two more 737-400 ombis
to its fleet by the end of 2007. These converted
aircraft and an all-cargo
freighter introduced in June 2006 will provide
about 20 percent more
cargo capacity and passenger seats than the fleet
of 737-200 aircraft they
replace.
"These combis - the
first of their kind in the world -- are
uniquely designed
to meet the needs of both cargo customers and
passengers throughout
the state of Alaska," said Bill MacKay, Alaska
Airlines' senior vice
president for the state of Alaska. "By upgrading
the fleet and modernizing
cargo infrastructure, we are providing more cargo
capacity, a more
comfortable passenger experience and a more
reliable flight schedule."
The combis are the
first 737-400 aircraft in the world to be converted
from all-passenger
to combination cargo-passenger
configurations. The
737-400s' fixed configurations, which accommodate
four cargo pallets
and 72 passengers, improve cargo service by
guaranteeing consistent
cargo capacity on each
flight. The 737-200 combis they replace had
adjustable
configurations, which allowed Alaska to change the
number of passenger
seats and cargo-pallet positions for each flight,
but prevented the
airline from guaranteeing consistent cargo
capacity. The
737-400 combis offer improved fuel efficiency,
more-advanced flight-guidance
systems and upgraded passenger amenities. They are
equipped with
Required Navigation Performance systems designed to
reduce the frequency
of weather-related schedule disruptions. The
passenger cabins also
feature leather seats and larger, standard-sized
overhead luggage bins.
The first two
aircraft, scheduled to enter commercial service
Feb. 2 and 3,
will be routed throughout the state of Alaska with
an emphasis on serving
the northern and western Alaska points of Prudhoe
Bay, Barrow, Kotzebue,
Nome and Bethel. The 737-400 freighter directly
supports the cargo
needs of the state's seafood industry by flying
routes in Southeast Alaska
as well as between Anchorage and Seattle.
Introduced to Alaska
Airlines' fleet as passenger aircraft in 1992,
the combis were
retrofitted by Pemco World Air Services. Pemco also
retrofitted the
737-400 freighter and is in the process of
retrofitting the two additional
combis slated for delivery later this year. Alaska
Airlines also maintains
options with Pemco to convert a second freighter
and fifth combiaircraft.
In mid-February
Alaska Airlines also will introduce a new $3
million cargo shipment-management and accounting
system. Using a centralized database, the system
will provide more detailed cargo tracking
information, automate
customer billing and allow customers to make
flight-specific cargo reservations.
Transporting more
than 150 million pounds of cargo annually,
including seafood,
mail and freight, Alaska Airlines operates the most
extensive air Cargo
operation on the U.S. West Coast of any passenger
airline. The airline's
cargo operation transports about 30 million pounds
of fresh Alaska
seafood each year from Alaska to Seattle, the
Pacific Northwest and beyond.
Alaska Airlines and
sister carrier, Horizon Air, together serve
89 cities
through an expansive network throughout Alaska, the
Lower 48, Canada And
Mexico. This year Alaska Airlines celebrates its
75th anniversary, marking
the airline's growth from a single-aircraft
operation in 1932 to one
of the largest U.S. carriers. For reservations,
visit alaskaair.com.
For more news and
information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon
Air Newsroom at
alaskaair.com/newsroom.
Pemco World Air
Services is a subsidiary of Pemco Aviation Group,
Inc., which
performs maintenance and modification of aircraft
for the U.S. Government
and foreign and domestic commercial customers. The
company also provides
aircraft parts and support and engineering services
and develops and
manufactures aircraft cargo systems, rocket
vehicles, control systems
and
components.
SOURCE Alaska
Airlines
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