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Alaska Airlines Resumes Service to Russia From Anchorage Hub (An April Fool)

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Alaska Airlines Resumes Service to Russia From Anchorage Hub (An April Fool)

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Old Apr 1, 2019, 12:22 pm
  #1  
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Alaska Airlines Resumes Service to Russia From Anchorage Hub (An April Fool)

Wow---I'm really surprised they are able to pull this one off. Also see the accompanying article from the New York Times, "Alaska Airlines Opens Russia's 'Wild East'." I'm totally not surprised given the timing of todays' date, and the incredible success last summer of Air Russia on their flights between Anchorage, and Petropavlovsk. Anyone else itching to join one of the inaugural flights?

...

To view this release online and get more information about Alaska Airlines Newsroom visit: https://newsroom.alaskaair.com/2019-...Anchorage-flight
Alaska Airlines resumes nonstop service to the Russian Far East from its Anchorage Hub after a two-decade hiatus.
New Alaska Lounge to open at ANC offering travelers a relaxing space that embodies the airline's cool, West Coast vibe

SEATTLE, April 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Airlines today announces resumed flights from its Asia-Pacific hub at Anchorage's Ted Stevens International airport to destinations across the easternmost part of Russia with twice-weekly flights from Anchorage to Magadan, Sakhalin Island, Petropavlovsk, and Vladivostok. The airline successfully operated similar service back in the 1990s, and improved ties between the two countries along with growing economies herald the return of Alaska to Siberia.

To provide a connecting feed in Russia, Alaska is pleased to announce a new partnership with S7 Airlines, a OneWorld Member and Russia's largest airline. From its Vladivostok hub, S7 will offer Alaska passengers over a dozen easy connections including Irktsk, Novosibirsk, Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, and Sanya, China. S7 VP of Alliance Yakov Smirnoff said, "On Alaska, you have four MVP Gold upgrades per year. On S7, upgrades find you!" This partnership will allow for full reciprocal benefits for members of Alaska's Mileage Plan including recognition for MVP, MVP Gold and MVP Gokd 75k members.

The service will be operated exclusively with Alaska Airlines' award-winning Airbus 321neo fleet featuring lie-flat seats in first class, an industry-leading premium economy product, and a coach product with interactive in-seat entertainment allowing in-seat ordering.

"We continue to add exciting new destinations from our key West Coast hubs and focus cities, providing our valued guests more nonstop options to meet their business and leisure needs," said John Kirby, Alaska's vice president of capacity planning. "Alaska offers the most coast-to-coast markets of any airline, and continues to expand our route network with over 40 new markets added since the acquisition of Virgin America."

Summary of new service:Start Date
City pair
Departs
Arrives
Aircraft
Frequency
July 6
ANC – Magadan
7:05 a.m.
3:43 p.m.
A321
T-Th
July 6
Magadan – ANC
4:45 p.m.
8:23 p.m.
A321
W-F
July 6
ANC – Sakhalin Island
7:05 a.m.
3:35 p.m.
A321
T-Th
July 6
Sakhalin Island – ANC
6:55 p.m.
10:26 p.m.
A321
W-F
Flight times based on local time zones.
ANC – Vladivostok
7:05 a.m.
3:35 p.m.
A321
T-Th
July 6
Vladivostok – ANC
6:55 p.m.
10:26 p.m.
A321
W-F
Flight times based on local time zones.
ANC – Petropavlovsk
7:05 a.m.
3:35 p.m.
A321
T-Th
July 6
Petropavlovsk – ANC
6:55 p.m.
10:26 p.m.
A321
W-F
Flight times based on local time zones.


The new Alaska Lounge at ANC, located upstairs in the South Terminal, will open to the public in late April. It will offer a premium lounge experience featuring signature touches like a barista for custom crafted coffee drinks and a relaxing living room feel that embodies the airlines' cool, West Coast vibe. Additional enhancements to the South Terminal airport experience, funded by a $65 million investment from S7 Airlines, are helping to modernize the terminal and enhance the food and retail concession experience while providing new seating areas near the gates for an improved customer experience.

Alaska gates and the Alaska Lounge are located in the same terminal as Global Partners Ravn Alaska and Icelandair, providing guests convenient access to a combined 2 daily flights to top global destinations across Siberia. Alaska allows Mileage Plan members to travel and earn miles to more than 900 destinations around the globe through a unique network of international partners, with several flying out of ANC.

To purchase tickets, visit alaskaair.com to find great savings, or call 1-800-ALASKAAIR (800-252-7522 for Hearing & Speech Impaired (TTY): Dial 711 for Relay Services).

With the addition of this new and expanded ANC service, Alaska provides 36 daily flights to 20 destinations from San Jose and 290 daily flights to 90 destinations from Seattle.

Alaska Airlines, together with Virgin America and its regional partners, flies 44 million guests a year to more than 115 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica. With Alaska and Alaska Global Partners, guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 900 destinations worldwide. Learn more about Alaska's award-winning service at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines, Virgin America and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).



SOURCE Alaska Airlines
worldwidedreamer is offline  
Old Apr 1, 2019, 12:34 pm
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LOL, amazing!
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Old Apr 1, 2019, 12:36 pm
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I got so excited when I saw the headline
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Old Apr 1, 2019, 12:41 pm
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Originally Posted by worldwidedreamer
The service will be operated exclusively with Alaska Airlines' award-winning Airbus 321neo fleet featuring lie-flat seats in first class, an industry-leading premium economy product, and a coach product with interactive in-seat entertainment allowing in-seat ordering.
Holy smokes!!

This blows away all the speculation that AS would not be installing lie-flats on any of their planes. It's also strong evidence that AS will be keeping the Airbus fleet and likely those upcoming 321neo orders.
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Old Apr 1, 2019, 12:57 pm
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Really? Or April Fool?
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Old Apr 1, 2019, 1:03 pm
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Originally Posted by jjmadison
Holy smokes!!

This blows away all the speculation that AS would not be installing lie-flats on any of their planes. It's also strong evidence that AS will be keeping the Airbus fleet and likely those upcoming 321neo orders.
(see today's date)
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Old Apr 1, 2019, 1:09 pm
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Originally Posted by be_rettSEA
(see today's date)
Darn it!!

@worldwidedreamer well done... very well done.
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Old Apr 1, 2019, 1:12 pm
  #8  
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I heard that Alaska is replacing their ANC hub by one to be built up in Vladivostok to better coordinate with its S7 partner.
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Old Apr 1, 2019, 1:21 pm
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Originally Posted by jjmadison
Holy smokes!!

This blows away all the speculation that AS would not be installing lie-flats on any of their planes. It's also strong evidence that AS will be keeping the Airbus fleet and likely those upcoming 321neo orders.
I knew they had a plan for those 787's that were sold to an "unidentified customer"!!
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Old Apr 1, 2019, 2:18 pm
  #10  
 
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Did no one else see the flight times as suspect? Where is the +1 day for flying over the international date line? lol

James in Portland
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Old Apr 1, 2019, 2:32 pm
  #11  
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Originally Posted by Flying for Fun
Did no one else see the flight times as suspect? Where is the +1 day for flying over the international date line? lol

James in Portland
I was thinking, "These flights won't connect to much on the ANC end, particularly the 7am departures...something is not right here...oh, yes, it's April 1!!"
formeraa is offline  
Old Apr 1, 2019, 2:33 pm
  #12  
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It's not like you weren't given any hints...

S7 VP of Alliance Yakov Smirnoff said, "On Alaska, you have four MVP Gold upgrades per year. On S7, upgrades find you!"
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Old Apr 1, 2019, 2:36 pm
  #13  
 
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While I find these types of April Fools posts super annoying, I did learn that Alaska Airlines used to offer flights to Russia.
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Old Apr 1, 2019, 7:45 pm
  #14  
 
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You actually had me all the way up to the point you said the A321NEO would be operating the routes
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Old Apr 1, 2019, 10:14 pm
  #15  
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How about Sapporo, Japan (CTS) - ANC - SEA

How about the Airbus A321neo service CTS-ANC-SEA?
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