It’s a brand new world period at Alaska Airways.
As soon as a West Coast airline that flew (largely) home routes on single-aisle planes, the Seattle-based service is shortly growing its network of long-haul international flights.
And on Wednesday, Alaska christened the airplane — and the all-new look — it’s going to sport on its intercontinental routes.
Inside a hangar close to Seattle, Alaska unveiled the primary Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner delivered by Boeing adorned with its personal branding.
And it’s a design vacationers have by no means seen earlier than: a shimmering blue and green-colored tail impressed by the northern lights outstanding in Alaska’s namesake state.
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SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
“This can be a historic day for us,” Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci mentioned, standing within the shadow of the brand new airplane.
Alaska enters its twin-aisle period
It’s additionally a day the corporate had deliberate for ever since its 2024 acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines.
As a part of that merger, Alaska had its eyes on the brand-new 787-9 aircraft Hawaiian had ordered years earlier — long-haul succesful jets that Alaska noticed as key to realizing its worldwide ambitions.
With the brand new airplane available, Alaska received’t waste any time sending it to a far-flung vacation spot.
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This 787 will make its transpacific debut on Thursday on a flight from Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA) to Seoul, South Korea.
Within the coming months, you’ll see extra planes look identical to this one, too.
The service already has a number of 787s that had been delivered to Hawaiian previous to the merger, and Alaska plans to repaint these jets with its personal livery (Alaska and Hawaiian, regardless of sharing one mum or dad firm, proceed to function as separate airline manufacturers).
The Alaska model can even be on all future Dreamliners delivered to the corporate. That features 5 new bigger 787-10 jets Alaska ordered on Wednesday as a part of a blockbuster 110-aircraft purchase from Boeing.
Among the many routes this new airplane is slated for: Alaska’s soon-to-launch flights from Seattle to Rome (April 28) and London (Could 21).
What to anticipate on board Alaska Airways’ new Boeing 787-9
What is going to vacationers discover on board Alaska’s new Dreamliner?
For now, anticipate nearly the identical laborious product Hawaiian rolled out on this plane lower than two years in the past, proven under.
That features the 34 business-class suites organized in a 1-2-1 configuration and outfitted with sliding privateness doorways.
Learn extra: On board Hawaiian Airlines’ 2024 inaugural flight on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
Alaska is updating a number of beauty touches contained in the cabin immediately to make it really feel rather less like a Hawaiian Airways flight, together with deploying a brand new temper lighting scheme.
Later this yr, the service plans to introduce a bunch of latest “delicate product” companies that’ll be a staple of its new flagship long-haul expertise transferring ahead.
Premium economic system plans confirmed
Past that, premium economic system is coming.
Minicucci on Wednesday confirmed the service is planning to outfit its 787s with the spacious, mid-cabin recliners that have become table stakes for any global airline however, notably, aren’t on these Dreamliners.
“All that’s within the works proper now,” Minicucci advised TPG, noting that Alaska hopes to debut the brand new premium economic system product by 2028.
Plane upgrades coming to Hawaiian Airways, too
Whereas Alaska is taking up the 787s Hawaiian ordered pre-merger, the service is planning a giant funding in long-haul planes that may proceed to fly beneath the Hawaiian branding.
Beginning in 2028, the Honolulu-based service will see its Airbus A330 cabins retrofitted with new business-class seats and a premium economic system cabin.
That’s on high of main airport upgrades in Hawaii that the company announced earlier this week.
The way to e book Alaska Airways flights with factors
To e book Alaska Airways flights with factors, you will wish to have an account with the service’s Atmos Rewards program, which can be the loyalty program for Hawaiian.
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