Monday 28 September 2015

USA: Alaska Airlines Adds Seattle-Tacoma Flights


On 23 September, Alaska Airlines commenced operations between Seattle-Tacoma and Nashville. The 3,174-kilometre domestic link will operate daily using the airline’s 737-800s according to OAG Schedules Analyser data. Upon arrival from Seattle, Alaska Airlines Captain Michael Rinehart, performed with his barbershop quartet, Northwest Sound, and Nashville’s own High Gravity.

Alaska Airlines also celebrated the launch of services to Nashville at Seattle-Tacoma on 23 September, including not a ribbon, but bandana cutting ceremony.

Alaska Airlines commenced two new routes from Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) on 16 and 23 September, with New York JFK (JFK) starting on the former date and Nashville (BNA) on the latter. Both city pairs will operate with a daily rotation flown on the carrier’s 737-800s. Services on the 3,885-kilometre sector to New York JFK will face direct competition in the form of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways, which together operate a combined 165 weekly flights.

The 3,174-kilometre link to Nashville will also face direct competition, according to OAG, in the form of Southwest Airlines, which operates a seasonal daily service on the city pair. John Kirby, Alaska Airlines’ VP of Capacity Planning commented on the launch to Nashville by saying: “Our new non-stop flight between Seattle and Nashville connects two of the US’ largest and most popular music capitals.

Loyal Pacific Northwest customers will enjoy our convenient schedule, and our new Nashville customers will appreciate our great service, complimentary assigned seats and our premium cabin experience”. Commenting from Nashville, Rob Wigington, Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority President and CEO, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Alaska Airlines to Nashville and Middle Tennessee.

Year-round non-stop services to Seattle has been one of our top priorities, as part of a strategic effort to deliver non-stop services to major cities in the northwest US that will continue to fuel Nashville’s growth and economic prosperity.” Michael Rinehart, the captain of the inaugural flight, who coincidentally has also worked for Alaska Airlines for the past 32 years, serenaded passengers with a special sing-a-long alongside the Northwest Sound Men’s Chorus.

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