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- September 30th will be the final flight of an Airbus aircraft in Alaska Airlines service and will be a personal milestone for many pilots.
- The acquisition of Virgin America in 2016 also introduced Airbus, which is now being phased out.
- Alaska Airlines is investing in Boeing 737 MAX aircraft while phasing out the A320 family.
In a recent episode of the Alaska Pilots Podcast, Alaska ALPA Master Executive Council Chairman Will McKillen said he wanted to mark Alaska Airlines’ Airbus fleet end-of-service with a “meaningful” mark. It should be noted that Airbus, which is being phased out of Alaska Airlines operations, was the result of a merger with Virgin America in 2016.
The end of Alaska Airlines’ “post-merger” era
Alaska ALPA MEC President McKillen said on Friday’s Alaska Pilots Podcast:
“September 30th will be Airbus’ last flight. And for many, I think it’s more than just an aircraft retirement, it’s a personal thing for the pilots who have always flown Airbus. , this day is a notable and significant day in our history.” But this pilot is more personal for those who invested heavily in a good portion of his group. This is another chapter in the post-merger story, and a very personal one for those who invested…and made so many sacrifices. In the post-merger experience. ”
Photo: Philip Pirothian/Shutterstock
When Alaska Airlines acquired Virgin America in 2016, it aimed to better serve American passengers at a time when U.S. airlines were slashing amenities and legroom. There were several reasons for this acquisition. One of which is that the owner of the Virgin Group (Richard Branson) was a foreigner and could only hold a minority stake in the airline. Second, Alaska Airlines needed to defend its market share at its Seattle-Tacoma International Airport hub from Virgin America.
McKillen also praised Virgin America’s pilots for contributing to an “exchange of ideas and experience” that reinvigorated the pilots of the merged Alaska Airlines. Additionally, here’s how McKillen’s relationship with his pilots’ union and Alaska Airlines has been.
“We ask the company to create, share and execute a vision for this airline that includes the priorities of our customers and achieves the goals we have articulated here. Your continued involvement and input.”
It was the same when Alaskan pilots banded together to win a contract for the fall of 2022 to address structural issues with Alaska Airlines. One factor was the so-called “Alaskan Discount,” which paid less than other U.S. airlines. This issue has been addressed this year with a surcharge payment.
Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flight
Alaska Airlines Airbus A321neos main contributor
For Alaska Airlines, the Airbus A320 family of pilots has been a vital contributor to the growth of the Alaska Airlines organization and to the Airbus fleet itself. Below is a comparison of Alaska Airlines’ largest aircraft today, almost yesterday and tomorrow.
ability | Boeing 737-900ER | Airbus A321neo | Boeing 737 MAX 10 |
Extent of New Mexico (in km) | 2,720 (5,037) | 3,700 (5,954) | 3,100 (5,740) |
Passenger capacity (multiple classes) | 178 | 190 | 189 |
length | 138 feet, 2 inches (42.1 meters) | 146 feet (44.5 meters) | 143 feet 8 inches (43.8 meters) |
The company’s use of Airbus planes was unusual for an airline that helped Boeing upgrade its 737 aircraft. The merger brought with it a new livery and the introduction of two “More to Love” aircraft, the A321neo pictured above and the 737 NG. Nearly a decade later, these aircraft still capture people’s attention and point camera lenses.
Airlines in transition
Alaska Airlines is an airline in transition in 2023. While phasing out the last aircraft in the A320 series, we continue to invest heavily in the Boeing 737 MAX family of aircraft. It is blossoming through the implementation of innovative contracts with pilots. The company had its regional subsidiaries phase out its trademark Dash 8-Q400 turboprop aircraft and began working on structural issues while negotiating renewals of its flight attendant contracts.
Alaska Airlines’ flight attendants union, the Alaska Flight Attendants Association (Alaska AFA) and airline management have jointly agreed to apply for arbitration one year after negotiations began at the end of August. Arbitration filings are not a concern, but as the Alaska AFA shared in its Contract 2022 blog post,
The mediator’s role is to help the parties reach a mutually acceptable agreement by facilitating communication, identifying areas of agreement and disagreement, and proposing possible solutions.
Nonetheless, the Alaska AFA members’ resolve has not slowed. Ultimately, Alaska Airlines is set to end the Virgin America merger era on Sept. 30. It remains to be seen if the pilots will get the sendoff they want.
Will you be attending the ceremony to mark the end of service of the Airbus A321 aircraft with Alaska Airlines? Let us know in the comments.