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Dhaka: Alaska Airlines has revealed what it describes as its “first-ever global livery,” marking a bold step toward expanding international operations.
The announcement, made Tuesday (August 5) follows the carrier’s $1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines in September last year.
Currently serving destinations across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, Alaska is aiming to broaden its global reach. Interestingly, the airline once flew to eastern Russia before ending those routes in 1998.
The acquisition added four Boeing 787 Dreamliners to the airline's fleet, which have twin aisles and wide bodies. Another 13 are on order. Previously, it operated single-aisle jets designed for shorter distances.
Alaska's Dreamliners will first fly from Seattle to Seoul on September 12. Flights to Tokyo begin on January 7, followed by flights to Rome in the spring.
The airline also announced it will start serving Reykjavík, Iceland's capital, from Seattle next May. It will use the narrow-body Boeing 737 Max — making it the longest route with such an aircraft operated by a US airline.
Seattle and Reykjavík are about 3,600 miles apart, and flights take around 7½ hours. Daily flights on the route will be available during the summer season, but won't operate during the winter, when Iceland is less popular with tourists due to its shorter days.
By next spring, the airline will also operate a daily, non-stop service to London Heathrow, using a Boeing 787.
It takes about 9½ hours to fly from Seattle to the British capital, which Alaska calls "one of the most sought-after international destinations and business markets."
-B
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