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Alaska Airlines Profits Despite Pilot Shortage, Operational Challenges

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines is still ironing out operational wrinkles following the acquisition of Virgin America last year. At the same time, its smaller, regional airline is still grappling with a pilot shortage.




The acquisition of Virgin America gives Alaska Air Group access to larger markets, like San Francisco and Los Angeles. During a quarterly earnings conference call, CEO Brad Tilden said that means the company is dealing with more congestion and constraint. 

 


“It’s not only air space and long taxi times, but the airplane comes in and there’s not a gate available,” Tilden said.

 


Fewer on-time arrivals and more delays and cancellations in the Northwest are the result of a pilot shortage at the company’s smaller, regional Horizon Air. Tilden said they need to improve pilot recruitment and better understand demand. 

 


“I think we fell short there, candidly,” he said. 

 


Meanwhile, Alaska Air group reports a $36 million increase in second quarter earnings compared to last year.

Copyright 2017 Northwest News Network

Emily Schwing
Emily Schwing comes to the Inland Northwest by way of Alaska, where she covered social and environmental issues with an Arctic spin as well as natural resource development, wildlife management and Alaska Native issues for nearly a decade. Her work has been heard on National Public Radio’s programs like “Morning Edition” and “All things Considered.” She has also filed for Public Radio International’s “The World,” American Public Media’s “Marketplace,” and various programs produced by the BBC and the CBC. She has also filed stories for Scientific American, Al Jazeera America and Arctic Deeply.