Alaska Airlines Orders 5 More 787s: Expanding From Seattle

Intro

3 years ago, if someone had told me that Alaska Airlines was looking to become the focal airline for international flights out of Seattle, I would have been gobsmacked. Well, after the airline acquired Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines began taking delivery of the 12 787s that Hawaiian Airlines had on order, and has just placed an order for 5 more.

The Details

A few days ago, a podcast came out via the Alaska Pilots Podcast indicating that Alaska will be taking delivery of 5 more 787 Dreamliners. Originally, Hawaiian had decided to order 12 firm deliveries, with an option for 8 more in hopes of renovating their tired A330s.

With confirmation from the airline pending, it seems that the order will now be for a total of 17 Dreamliners, with a potential for more in the future. Considering Alaska wants to push Delta out of the market in Seattle as they go toe to toe, the delivery of widebody jets will be critical to making this happen...

Alaska Airlines/Hawaiian 787-9

Currently, Alaska Airlines has 4 Dreamliners delivered, serving Los Angeles, Seoul (soon), and Seattle (soon from HNL).

What This Means

With Alaska Airlines announcing flights to Europe starting next summer, and with two destinations being added this year already, it seems that AS is going all in on Seattle. The 787-9 Dreamliner will open up worlds of possibilities for the airline, but can they channel it?

As an example, word on the street has it that AS is coming out with a new lounge in Seattle for premium passengers, but will it be able to compete with the Delta One Lounge? In my eyes, if they are planning to go this route, the airline needs to go all in. Elevated lounges, nicer onboard amenities, and finer dining. The hard product is there, but the soft product needs a step up.

Final Thoughts

Alaska Airlines has announced that it plans to take delivery of five more Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, as it looks to expand its long-haul route network from Seattle. This is exciting times for the airline, and let's hope that we see a competition in Seattle that is good for consumers!