For the first time in its history, Alaska Airlines is about to cross the Atlantic.On April 28, 2026, the airline will launch nonstop flights from Seattle–Tacoma International Airport to Rome Fiumicino Airport, marking its first-ever service to Europe.The route will start with four flights per week, increasing to daily service during the busy summer travel season.The new flight will also introduce another first for the airline: the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.Alaska gained the widebody aircraft through its 2024 merger with Hawaiian Airlines, giving the carrier long-haul capability for the first time.The Dreamliner will feature 34 enclosed lie-flat business class suites, allowing Alaska to compete with other major transatlantic airlines.Rome is only the beginning of the airline’s international expansion.Alaska also plans to launch flights from Seattle to London Heathrow year-round on the 787-9, along with seasonal service to Iceland’s Keflavík Airport on the Boeing 737 MAX 8.Looking ahead, the airline says it hopes to serve at least 12 intercontinental destinations from Seattle by 2030.With new routes to Tokyo and Seoul already launched in 2025, Seattle is quickly becoming a major gateway connecting the U.S. West Coast with Europe and Asia.
As a Hawaiian flyer, I don't agree with any of this and I don't like what Alaska is. I hate yuropoorland, and never want to go there on a leisure trip. Alaska gives no fucks about Hawaiian's unique Pacific region flights (e.g. PPT, RAR, AKL, SYD, TPE, FUK, CTS, etc.) and has been killing them off one by one.All these 787s were actually ordered by Hawaiian from Boeing with a beautiful interior, but Alaska took over the order and they will be delivered as ugly Alaska planes. Further, all 787s will be removed from Hawaiian routes. Alaska is a shit carrier, with an almost all-narrow body fleet, recliners for premium cabin, and is outclassed by everyone else. The last time they were allowed to buy someone, they wrecked VX and its SFO hub. Now they come with promises to not wreck Hawaiian or HNL, I don't believe these people for a second.
>>2067709didn't know Seattle moved off the coast of virginiawould rather anchorage <-> asia flights come back so i can go to alaska
>>2067725I suspect the author was to;•Too dumb to realize it will fly over the pole.•Too lazy or unable to find perspectives of the globe that show a direct west or polar route showing both locations.•Just used AI to do the work as journalism has been dead for nearly 20 years.•Didn't care.
>>2067725>didn't know Seattle moved off the coast of virginiaor that Rome is in Greece for that matter>>2067737there are no made up landmasses, so probably not AI, just sheer incompetence
