Alaska Air targets Newark in transcontinental expansion

Alaska Airlines announced a “significant expansion to the NYC area” that will see it add four additional flights and three new routes at Newark Liberty International. The airline's new routes to Newark will be from its West Coast bases in Portland, Ore.; San Diego and San Jose, Calif. Alaska also will add an additional daily flight from Newark to its main hub in Seattle, giving it three daily round-trip flights on that route. Alaska is able to expand at Newark thanks to the FAA’s recent decision to ease “slot” restrictions there. A number of new airlines have rushed in with new Newark service following the change. “We thank the FAA… for their efforts to increase competition in the New York metro area,” an Alaska VP said. <br/>