This expansion will add 1.3 million premium
seats annually to our mainline fleet, providing
guests with even more opportunities to upgrade to a premium
experience
SEATTLE, July 17,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- At Alaska Airlines, we're always
looking for new ways to make your travel experience even better. We
believe in giving you choices that fit your needs, whether you're
all about the comfort and perks of Premium and First Class, or you
appreciate the value and flexibility of our Main Cabin and Saver
Fare options.
Starting in September, we're excited to begin rolling out
additional First Class and Premium Class seating across more than
200 of our aircraft, including 900ERs, 800s and MAX9s. This
expansion will add 1.3 million premium seats annually to our
mainline fleet. Earlier this year, we successfully retrofitted our
entire regional fleet, adding 400,000 Premium Class seats to our
E175 aircraft.
More First Class and Premium seating
By increasing the number of seats available in these classes, we
are making it easier than ever for our guests to upgrade while also
meeting the growing demand for premium seating.
Aircraft
|
First
Class
|
Premium
Class
|
Number of aircraft
being retrofitted
|
Timing
|
737-800
|
Increasing from 12 to
16 seats
|
30 seats will
remain
|
59
|
Conversions will begin
in early 2025; to be completed by summer 2026
|
737-900ER
|
16 seats will
remain
|
Increasing from 24 to
30 seats
|
79
|
Conversions will begin
in fall 2025; to be completed by summer 2025
|
737-9
MAX
|
16 seats will
remain
|
Increasing from 24 to
30 seats
|
80
|
Conversions will begin
in spring 2025; to be completed by summer 2026
|
First Class
For years, our guests have loved our industry-leading First
Class experience. In partnership with RECARO, we've further
enhanced this offering to provide our guests with ultimate comfort.
Our new First Class seats installed on the 737-800 fleet will
continue to boast the most legroom and features include a calf
rest, new seatback device holder, 6-way headrest with neck support
and USB-C charging capabilities.
Premium Class & Main Cabin
In Main Cabin and Premium Class of our 737-800 fleet, guests
will continue to experience comfort and convenience at every seat
with improved features, including new device holders with built in
cup holders, USB-C charging and a 6-way headrest with dedicated
neck support.
As we modify the 737-900ER fleet to increase Premium Class by
converting six of our Main Cabin seats, these aircraft will receive
an interior refresh, bringing modern touches like device holders in
the main cabin to the backbone of our fleet. All MAX9 aircraft,
among the newest in our fleet, will also get six additional seats
converted to their Premium cabins, enhancing the comfort and luxury
that our guests enjoy.
Meeting demand and enhancing availability
The decision to increase the number of First Class and Premium
Class seats comes in response to growing demand from our valued
guests. We understand that many travelers seek the added comfort
and benefits of these classes, and we are committed to meeting this
demand. Whether you are traveling for business or leisure,
upgrading your seat will now be more accessible than ever.
Our Premium Cabin performance continues to support what we
believe to be a structural shift in higher demand for premium
products. First Class and Premium Class revenues finished up 8% and
6% respectively, during this quarter, with our First Class load
factor hitting 71% for the quarter, up 4.3 points. Our paid premium
capacity has come a long way from the days of paid load factors in
the 40% range for mainline and all-coach regional fleet.
Maintaining convenience with four lavatories
We are happy to share that even with the introduction of
additional premium seats, our Boeing fleet of aircraft will
maintain four lavatories for use. We recognize the importance of
convenience and accessibility during your flight, and maintaining
four lavatories ensures all guests, regardless of their seating
class, have ample access to restroom facilities.
Premium perks when you fly with us
Whether you're traveling for business or pleasure, you can enjoy
our premium offerings on any Alaska flight, such as no change fees, extra
legroom in First Class* and Premium Class and the most generous
Mileage Plan with the quickest path to elite status.
Onboard, treat yourself to our industry-leading food and
beverage service, featuring high-quality West Coast-inspired meals
and a premium selection of drinks. Our tech-savvy travel
experience, airport investments and remarkable employees ensure
you're well taken care of every step of the way.
And if you haven't heard, we're making it easier for our guests
to upgrade! Now you can pay to upgrade to First or Premium Class up
to 50 minutes before departure on www.alaskaair.com under
Manage on www.alaskaair.com or through the Alaska Airlines
mobile app.
Download our press kit, which includes high resolution photos of
our premium seating and seat map configurations.
*Out of any U.S. legacy airline excluding lie-flat
seats
About Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines and our regional
partners serve more than 120 destinations across the United States, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Costa
Rica, Guatemala and
Mexico. We offer our guests a
premium flying experience with award-winning customer service and
an industry-leading loyalty program, Mileage Plan. With our fellow
oneworld Alliance members and additional Global Partners,
our guests have more choices than ever to purchase, earn or redeem
on alaskaair.com across 30 airlines and more than 1,000 worldwide
destinations. Learn more about Alaska at news.alaskaair.com and
follow @alaskaairnews for news and stories. Alaska Airlines and
Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group.
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SOURCE ALASKA AIRLINES