Alaska Announces New San Diego-Kona Route
Jeff Edwards October 22, 2014
Alaska Airlines will add service between San Diego International Airport and Kona International beginning in March.
The smiling Eskimo on the tail of Alaska Airlines’ planes is a tribute to the carrier’s roots as a single-aircraft fleet flying to remote destinations in the US Territory of Alaska. Wednesday’s announcement that Alaska will begin service between San Diego International Airport (SAN) and Kona International Airport (KOA) on the Big Island of Hawaii, conjured completely different images.
“We are thrilled to bring the white sand beaches, black lava fields and unique Polynesian culture of Kona and Hawaii’s Big Island to our San Diego customers,” said Joe Sprague, Alaska’s vice president of communications and external relations.
The new route will begin flying in spring 2015, and Alaska will initially offer service three days per week starting on March 5. Alaska already flies between SAN other Hawaiian destinations, including Honolulu International Airport (HNL), Kahului Airport (OGG) and Lihue Airport (LIH).
Sprague noted that the company is making a concerted effort to expand its image beyond that of a regional airline, stating in Wednesday’s announcement, “We’re growing and adding flights in important West Coast markets to give our customers more opportunities to explore the great places we fly.” Over the years, Alaska has steadily increased its presence at SAN, adding flights to Boston, Orlando, Salt Lake City, Boise and Puerto Vallarta.
To celebrate the new addition to Alaska’s route map, the airline is offering an introductory fare of $219 each way on SAN-KOA tickets purchased before October 28 and used between March 5 and June 6, 2015.
[Photo: Alaska Airlines]
