Why Little Alaska Airlines has the happiest customers in the sky
It practically goes without saying: American airlines have a public-relations crisis on their hands. Almost every week since a passenger was bloodied and dragged off a United Airlines flight in early April, another outrage has swept the internet. Families kicked off planes because of birthday cake. Girls in leggings denied boarding. Heated confrontations about strollers. All-out brawls amid tighter-than-ever seats. But in what feels like a parallel universe, one airline is racking up nearly every industry accolade. So far this year, Alaska Airlines has been recognized by SmarterTravel, the Points Guy, and FlyerTalk—three authoritative aviation websites—along with US News & World Report, as either being the best US airline of 2017 or having the best rewards program. In some cases it claimed both titles. It has the No. 1 on-time performance record seven years running, according to FlightStats. To those who frequent the airline, Alaska’s success is no surprise. In the Pacific Northwest, where the company is based, Alaska Airlines is considered a homegrown hero of sorts; locals are as loyal to the airline as they are to the record-breaking star quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks, Russell Wilson, who happens to be Alaska’s celebrity spokesman. To everyone else, Alaska can sneak up like a sleeper hit from the indie film festival circuit—one nobody had heard about until Oscar season. But that will change: Parent company Alaska Air Group Inc. recently acquired Virgin America Inc. and is engaged in aggressive cross-country expansion. It’s not just for West Coast-based commuters anymore. Story has more details.<br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/news/hot-topics/2017-05-25/unaligned/why-little-alaska-airlines-has-the-happiest-customers-in-the-sky
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Why Little Alaska Airlines has the happiest customers in the sky
It practically goes without saying: American airlines have a public-relations crisis on their hands. Almost every week since a passenger was bloodied and dragged off a United Airlines flight in early April, another outrage has swept the internet. Families kicked off planes because of birthday cake. Girls in leggings denied boarding. Heated confrontations about strollers. All-out brawls amid tighter-than-ever seats. But in what feels like a parallel universe, one airline is racking up nearly every industry accolade. So far this year, Alaska Airlines has been recognized by SmarterTravel, the Points Guy, and FlyerTalk—three authoritative aviation websites—along with US News & World Report, as either being the best US airline of 2017 or having the best rewards program. In some cases it claimed both titles. It has the No. 1 on-time performance record seven years running, according to FlightStats. To those who frequent the airline, Alaska’s success is no surprise. In the Pacific Northwest, where the company is based, Alaska Airlines is considered a homegrown hero of sorts; locals are as loyal to the airline as they are to the record-breaking star quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks, Russell Wilson, who happens to be Alaska’s celebrity spokesman. To everyone else, Alaska can sneak up like a sleeper hit from the indie film festival circuit—one nobody had heard about until Oscar season. But that will change: Parent company Alaska Air Group Inc. recently acquired Virgin America Inc. and is engaged in aggressive cross-country expansion. It’s not just for West Coast-based commuters anymore. Story has more details.<br/>
