By Benjamin Pham
Alaska Airlines Grows Presence In Boise
The relentless Covid-19 catastrophe is quickly evolving, from when it first emerged, but simultaneously, the push for vaccinations and further research for boost shots are providing the potential light at the end of the tunnel for the airline industry. Several major airlines significantly reduced flight operations and routes, in response to the steep decline in passenger travel demand. But, the carriers are resuming flights and inaugurating new routes are just as quickly, as they all try to capitalize on the ongoing uptick and surge in leisure travel demand to crawl back toward profitability.
Earlier this week, Alaska Airlines officially announced the launch of two new flights from Boise, building upon the airline’s focus of expanding its west coast presence and connectivity — a trend that started quite some time ago.
“We have deep roots in the Treasure Valley and our commitment to our guests in southern Idaho keeps getting stronger. Reconnecting Boise and Idaho Falls with nonstop air service will drive economic activity and enable further growth of our Boise focus city, including today’s announcement of new nonstop service to Vegas,” Brett Catlin, Vice President of network and alliances, Alaska Airlines said.
Starting summer 2022, the Seattle-based carrier is scheduled to begin daily flight operations to both Idaho Falls, Idaho and Las Vegas on June 16. Flights to Idaho Falls will be operated on a regional Bombardier Q400 aircraft, while an Embraer E175 will operate the flights to Las Vegas.
Alaska Airlines continues to take giant steps towards recovery, as the carrier strengthens its presence in the Pacific Northwest, outside of Seattle — its main hub and base. The airline’s upcoming new flight services from Boise play a pivotal role in allowing the airline to expand its route networks and are solely not the carrier’s new routes.
Flights from Boise to Phoenix are scheduled to operate seasonally from Nov. 19 to April 18 on an E175, and for this winter, the carrier expects to fly from Boise to 14 destinations across the western United States, after adding flights to Austin, TX and Chicago this summer.
Alaska recently celebrated its membership as the latest carrier to join the Oneworld airline alliance earlier this year. The carrier’s new flights to a variety of destinations are its attempts to add new connections and itineraries, which have come in the form of a desire to attract and leverage new international partners.
In addition, Boise is in close proximately to Alaska’s west coast hubs, which could be a huge advantage for the carrier, especially as the carrier firmly holds on to a strong partnership with American — a fellow Oneworld member. This will allow the carrier to overcome its cutthroat competitors like Delta who also has a sturdy presence in Seattle, as the notable SkyTeam carrier calls the Emerald City, a primary west coast hub.
Evidently, Alaska’s pathway to recovery includes fortifying its existing route network while inaugurating new routes to increase its connectivity. There is no doubt that the Pacific Northwest is the airline’s home, as it continues the trend of connecting communities in the region. However, as the airline outlines its response to the evolving, ongoing predicament, it is essential for the carrier to adapt as demand warrants growth within the airline’s portfolio.
Benjamin has had a love for aviation since a young age, growing up in Tampa with a strong interest in airplane models and playing with them. When he moved to the Washington, D.C. area, Benjamin took part in aviation photography for a couple of years at Gravelly Point and Dulles Airport, before dedicating planespotting to only when he traveled to the other airports. He is an avid, world traveler, having been able to reach 32 countries, yearning to explore and understand more cultures soon. Currently, Benjamin is an Air Transporation Management student at Arizona State University. He hopes to enter the airline industry to improve the passenger experience and loyalty programs while keeping up to how technology is being integrated into airports.
