Horizon Air offering Alaska flights on Q400 turboprop aircrafts

Media reports recently said that Horizon Air, a regional subsidiary of Alaska Airlines, is offering flights to various destinations in Alaska utilizing the turboprop Bombardier Q400 aircrafts. Horizon Air is offering the flights on these aircrafts even before such aircrafts have recently been purchased by the Alaska Air Group Inc., to be operated now by Alaska Airlines.

Alaska Air Group Inc. recently introduced the turboprop Bombardier Q400 aircrafts before mediapersons, which it plans operate to the three Alaska hubs through Alaska Airlines. The newly-acquired aircrafts would be operated between Fairbanks, Anchorage and Kodiak starting early March 2014. Alaska Airlines has until now been serving these routes with the help of larger Boeing 737 aircrafts. The turboprop Bombardier Q400 aircrafts are being exclusively flown by Horizon Air.

The company, which operates Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, said that it will be adding two daily flights between Anchorage and Fairbanks in order to offset the capacity difference between the 76-seat Q400 and the 144-seat Boeing 737-400 aircraft typically flown around the state. Alaska Airlines is presently operating seven flights between the cities now. However, with the addition of Q400 on the route the number of flights will now go up to nine.

Glenn Johnson, President of Horizon Air, said that one flight will continue to be served by a Boeing 737 to haul cargo between Southcentral and Interior. He also said that adding new flights to Fairbanks will help Horizon Air to close gaps currently existing in the schedule.