SEATTLE, May 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Air travel will
get a lot easier for flyers living in Snohomish County and North King County, Washington, next year when
Alaska Airlines introduces commercial service from Paine Field –
Snohomish County Airport. Subject to government approvals, starting
by fall of 2018, more than a million North Sound travelers will
enjoy shorter commutes to the airport and up to nine daily
departures.
"As our region continues to grow at a record pace and Sea-Tac
Airport nears capacity, the time is right to bring air service to
our valued guests living in the North Sound," said CEO of Alaska
Airlines Brad Tilden. "Today's news means less time stuck in
traffic on Interstate 5 and more time enjoying your vacation or
making the most of your business trip."
Imagine spending more time getting to the airport than actually
flying to a destination such as Portland,
Oregon. That's what many travelers, who live north of
Seattle, and drive to
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, frequently experience.
According to publicly available traffic data, by flying out of
Paine Field, Everett residents,
for example, could shave up to 80 minutes off their airport
commute, during peak traffic congestion.
"This new service is great news for Snohomish County," said Snohomish County
Executive Dave Somers. "Businesses
will have easier access to major markets and leisure travelers can
skip the commute down south, saving time and fuel. For decades,
Alaska Airlines has been a responsible neighbor in our region, and
we welcome them even closer to home at Paine Field."
Alaska Airlines plans to operate nine daily departures from
Paine Field using a fuel-efficient fleet of Boeing 737 and Embraer
175 aircraft. This new service will deliver all the comfort guests
expect on an Alaska Airlines flight, while taking hundreds of cars
off of I-5 every day.
"Alaska understands the local
market, so having our Seattle-based airline be the first to provide
scheduled passenger service from Everett just confirms the value commercial
flights will bring to the local economy," Everett Mayor Ray
Stephanson said. "Alaska is
an industry leader in service and reliability, and our citizens and
businesses will benefit from having such a convenient travel option
right here in Everett."
Led by Propeller Airports and Snohomish County, construction of the state of
the art terminal is slated to begin in June. Alaska plans to announce routes, flight
schedules and begin selling tickets early next year.
"Propeller couldn't be prouder than to partner with the hometown
airline on this new service. As Alaska does everyday, our goal is to put the
customer first, making the travel experience truly exceptional,"
said Brett Smith, CEO of Propeller
Airports.
Alaska Airlines Blog: New flying out of Paine Field
will ease commuting pain for many
Editor's note: Download a graphic of regional airport
locations at https://newsroom.alaskaair.com/multimedia.
About Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines, together with Virgin America and its regional
partners, flies 40 million customers a year to 118 destinations
with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada, Costa
Rica and Cuba. With
Alaska and Alaska Global Partners,
customers can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 900
destinations worldwide. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer
Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America" in the J.D. Power North America
Airline Satisfaction Study for 10 consecutive years from 2008 to
2017. Additionally, Alaska Mileage Plan ranked "Highest in Customer
Satisfaction with Airline Loyalty Rewards Programs" in the J.D.
Power 2016 Airline Loyalty/Rewards Program Satisfaction Report for
the last three consecutive years. Learn more about Alaska's award-winning service and unmatched
reliability at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com.
Alaska Airlines, Virgin America and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of
Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).
About Propeller Airports
Propeller Airports is a subsidiary of Propeller Investments.
With offices in New York,
Seattle and Atlanta, Propeller identifies untapped
potential for commercial air travel by working with local
governments and communities to maximize airport assets. Propeller
Airports is focused on opportunities to invest, develop and manage
both general aviation and commercial service airports throughout
the U.S.
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SOURCE Alaska Airlines