Alaska Airlines Expands Partnership with SkyWest, adds New Routes

SEATTLE, Nov. 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Airlines announced it is expanding its partnership with SkyWest Airlines with the addition of three new destinations from Alaska's Northwest hubs. Flying on new Embraer E175 jets, Alaska will begin offering daily nonstop service starting July 1 between Seattle and Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Seattle and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Portland, Oregon and St. Louis.

The 76-seat E175 jet will feature 12 seats in first class and 64 in coach, and boasts cabin dimensions on par with a 737. Onboard amenities include Wi-Fi Internet access, streaming inflight entertainment and 110 volt power in every first class seat. Food and beverage will include hot meals and picnic packs for purchase, in addition to Northwest microbrews and wine.

SkyWest has purchased seven E175 aircraft to fly on behalf of Alaska under a capacity purchase agreement (CPA). The first three aircraft will arrive in the summer of 2015, and the remaining four will be delivered in Q1 2016.

"The E175 is new for the Alaska brand and fills a specific need to serve 'long, thin routes' – destinations that are too distant for our regional aircraft, but currently don't have enough customer demand to fill a mainline jet," said Andrew Harrison, senior vice president of planning and revenue management for Alaska Airlines. "The smaller, but spacious, E175 jet will not only open up new cities, but provide feed traffic to our Northwest hubs, while giving customers a comfortable experience on these longer flights."

Summary of new service:

"We're excited to enhance our Alaska partnership and bring the Alaska product to the airline's customers in the Midwest," said Russell "Chip" Childs, SkyWest, Inc. president. "The addition of the E175 to our Alaska portfolio is an excellent addition to an outstanding partnership."

One-way introductory fares on the new routes are available for $119.* Tickets must be purchased by Dec.1 and travel completed between July 8 and Sept. 30, 2015. To book, and for complete fare rules, visit alaskaair.com or call 1-800-ALASKAAIR (800-252-7522 or Hearing & Speech Impaired (TTY): Dial 711 for Relay Services). Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members flying on SkyWest-operated flights will continue to earn Mileage Plan credit.

Today, SkyWest flies 40 flights a day between 14 cities for Alaska Airlines and by August 2016, that will increase to 52 flights a day to 17 cities.

Alaska Airlines has been growing its Seattle hub, this year launching service to six new cities from which include Albuquerque, Baltimore, Cancun, Detroit, New Orleans and Tampa. With the addition of these new SkyWest-operated flights, next summer Alaska will offer 298 peak-day departures to 81 destinations from Seattle – three times any other carrier. From Portland, starting in July Alaska Airlines will offer 125 peak-day departures to 44 destinations – more than any other carrier.

About Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together with its partner regional airlines, serves more than 100 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers" in the J.D. Power and Associates for seven consecutive years from 2008 to 2014. Alaska Airlines' Mileage Plan also ranked highest in the 2014 Airline Loyalty/Rewards Program Satisfaction Report. For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.

About SkyWest Airlines

As a leading air service provider offering global access to millions of people each month, SkyWest Airlines partners with the world's largest network carriers including United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, US Airways, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. With a fleet of 350 aircraft, SkyWest's more than 10,500 aviation professionals operate nearly 1,700 flights each day to 189 destinations throughout North America. SkyWest is known for its industry-leading workforce, exceptional leadership team, and continued solid operational and economic performance. The airline is headquartered in St. George, Utah.

*General terms and conditions for introductory fare sale:  Seats are limited and may not be available on all flights or all days. Fares are nonrefundable, are priced in U.S. dollars, and include all applicable taxes, fees and charges based on one-way travel.  A ticket purchased at an Alaska Airlines airport location or through one of our reservation call centers will cost $15.00 more per person than the advertised fare. Differences in fare and taxes, fees and charges apply to any changes made after ticketing. A $125 change fee per person applies to changes made within 60 days of ticketed travel.  Other restrictions— such as day of week, blackout dates and advance purchase requirements — may apply. These flights are operated by SkyWest. Additional U.S. taxes may apply to itineraries involving more than one stopover or a stopover lasting more than 12 hours. Bag fees apply for checked baggage. See alaskaair.com or call Alaska Airlines reservations at 1-800-ALASKAAIR for complete fare rules, checked baggage policies and more information.

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SOURCE Alaska Airlines