NEW YORK — Today at its annual Investor Day, Alaska Airlines announced plans to roll-out a Premium Class section. Beginning in late 2016, the new upgrade option will provide more legroom and other perks to customers.
Customers who upgrade to Premium Class will get priority boarding and enjoy three to four inches more legroom compared with a standard coach seat. In addition, Alaska Airlines plans to offer additional amenities to further enhance the Premium Class in-flight experience. This upgrade option will be available to Alaska Airlines elite Mileage Plan members on a complimentary basis at booking or day of travel dependent on status and fare purchased.
Upgrade pricing and details on the included amenities will be announced closer to customer availability.
“Premium Class will provide an opportunity for all customers to get an enhanced flight experience,” said Andrew Harrison, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Alaska Airlines. “We are listening to our customers and they have told us that more personal space and extra perks are a priority.”
Alaska plans to retrofit up to 60 aircraft with the Premium Class section by the end of 2016 and the remainder of its 737-800, -900 and -900ER fleet by the end of 2017. The upgrade option will also be available on Embraer 175s, operated by SkyWest, which are configured with 12 seats in the Premium Class section. Preferred Plus seating , currently available for purchase at check-in for bulkhead and exit rows, will continue to be offered on Alaska 737-400s and -700s.
Seats in the Premium Class section will have at least 35″ of pitch, compared to 31″ to 32″ in the rest of the main cabin. To make room for the Premium Class while maintaining pitch in the main cabin, Alaska will reconfigure and reduce the number of seats available on some aircraft. Also, pitch in the First Class cabin will be increased from 36″ to 41″ providing a significantly enhanced experience for those customers.
737-800 goes from 16J/147Y to 12J/30Y+/117Y
737-900/-900(ER) goes from 16J/165Y to 16J/24Y+/138Y
E-175 goes from 12J/64Y to 12J/12Y+/52Y
Alaska Airlines
AS-17 diverts to Buffalo because of in-flight fire
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) – A Seattle-bound flight from New Jersey has made an emergency landing in Buffalo after smoke was detected in the galley.
Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority spokesman Doug Hartmayer says Alaska Airlines Flight 17 was diverted to Buffalo Niagara International Airport at about 8 a.m. Monday.
Alaska Airlines spokeswoman Halley Knigge says a credit card reader started smoking from what appears to be a melting battery. Hartmayer says the crew sprayed it with a fire extinguisher. There were no injuries among the 184 passengers and crew of five.
Hartmayer says firefighters boarded the Boeing 737 to check it out. He says passengers were taken to the terminal and offered medical assistance.
It wasn’t initially known if they’ll resume their flight on the same aircraft. Flight 17 originates in Newark. It’s usually scheduled to land in Seattle at 12:55 p.m.
KOMO News