jackal

With UA's PDQ move, I would probably come back full-time to AS if they did that.

dave1013

I figure that if AS/QX/OO can drive regional jets into COS with the dangling carrot of 737 service and perhaps other destinations if it catches on, anything is possible!

gaiusbaltar

I just asked a FA on my flight to SEA right now and she said they are indeed considering changing their name and going through an entire branding analysis. Changes are to be finalized at the end of the year.

Heres my big question: If they really wanted to expand, Why didn't they just buy AA?

And while we are at it, more flights to DFW.

jackal

That thought actually did occur to me. Wouldn't be the worst name, and it would at least give some semblance of an acknowledgment to the carrier's heritage to avoid offending the hometown fans...

danielonn

How about calling Alaska Airlines Trans World Airlines or Pan Am?

Aaron01

Maybe they could aquire the name rights for NW from DL

EIPremier

Personally, I think it would be stupid for AS to change its name. You can spend millions on "brand consultants" and end up with some travesty like AA's new livery. The majority of AS customers are still on the west coast, and AS has a lot of customer loyalty and brand recognition. Renaming is what companies do when they are in trouble, and AS is IIRC the 3rd most profitable carrier in terms of pre-tax margin behind Allegiant and Spirit (both of which succeed by using the Ryanair business model).

AndyPatterson

Agreed 100%. But this whole discussion begs the question -- what is there that is uniquely "Alaskan" about the AS flights in the 48 states? Other than serving Alaska Amber Ale, and having a few Alaskan travelogues on the Digiplayers, I don't see anything on board that has to do specifically with the 49th state.

IStream

I agree with your larger point but don't find the AA livery to be objectionable. At the risk of threadjacking, what's your beef with it?

ANC

Changing the name and brand would in itself cost millions and millions. The way I see it, they stay Alaska Airlines, they go with Horizon as some others have suggested, or they buy out/takeover someone like Hawaiian or Sun Country OR get merged and become DL or UA You have 3 or 4 destinations east of the Mississippi and all the sudden you need a name change? American flies all over the world and theyre still fine going by "American" Delta flies all over the world and is still ok with the name "delta" which comes from the origins of the the delta regions of MS, LA, and GA. I still am not discounting something with Sun Country buyout although its JMHO and I could be way off dreaming at straws. But like I said on a recent flight. I flew with Tilden, Ayers, and a few other AS management guys/women from SEA-MSP and they were met at the gate by MSP airport management, security, and executives from some other airline

AS Flyer

How did you discern that they were other airline executives and MSP airport management? Did they wear name tags that denoted them as such? Most airline and airport management I've been in contact with have been pretty non-descript. Rumors...


Alaska flies to 10 destinations on or east of the Mississippi River. Prior to early 2000 Alaska didn't fly anywhere east Phoenix, AZ, save for a brief experiment with service to Toronto from LAX. In the last 13 years they have added service to 17 cities further east, including the newest cities of Omaha and Colorado Springs. Brand awareness is important if you need to expand and Alaska must expand in order to survive. They can't go on being this cool little niche airline that flies up and down the west coast. Alaska has to find a way to diversify itself and to get their name out there in other parts of the country so that when they start flying to places like Omaha, people there aren't completely stumped as to who they are. And they can't continue relying on people from the Pacific NW to fill up their planes - they need to grow and draw people from other parts of the country as well. I am really interested in seeing how the Omaha service does. I can't imagine anyone in Omaha ever considered taking Alaska Airlines to get to the west coast - we'll see if they actually do.

jiburi

Will still be independent, but I'm hearing likelihood of Alaska and American ending partnership. (oops, sorry, it wasn't flight attendant chatter and off topic)

Jiburi

CDKing

Riding a CRJ 1400 miles is kind of insane. I thought it was bad enough on my upcoming 1200mi ERJ145 flight IAH-SLC on UA.

rwinn

Not that I think this is a good idea, but I am pretty sure it will be happening.

In addition to rumors about internal websites asking employees about brand changes, Alaska recently hired a "Director of Brand Experience" and the posting specifically asked for applicants who had launching new brands or rebranded existing organizations.

That doesn't necessarily things are changing but I have seen a quote or two from management in recent months indicating that there is serious consideration being given to the brand and what can be done to attract new customers outside of Alaska's traditional footprint.

rwinn

It would be interesting to know if people are more likely to book with an airline they have heard of but never flown versus an airline with a new name that is entirely unknown.