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Alaska Airlines Seals Deal With 'Dancing With The Stars' Sensation Apolo Ohno

AirTran has gotten a lot of press out of their branding pact with their hometown Atlanta Falcons, and now Seattle-based Alaska Airlines is trying a similar deal. Instead of going with the local football team however, they're going with, um, Olympic speed skater Apolo Ohno.

Apolo wants you to know that this sponsorship deal, even though it's functionally with an enormous and mostly anonymous LCC, is a watershed moment that represents the culmination and meaning of his life. Or something. He gives mad props to his "hometown airline" in the full deal details:

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Tags: In-Flight WiFi / Alaska Airlines / Airlines / Airline News / SJC / AUS / PDX / → All Tags

Alaska Launches Daily "Nerd Bird" Between San Jose And Austin

Silicon Valley commuters were positively inconsolable earlier this summer when American Airlines put an end to their "nerd bird" flights, the route between San Jose and Austin. Happy times will soon be here again, though, because Alaska Airlines has committed to picking up the slack:

Alaska Airlines today will inaugurate nonstop service between San Jose, Calif., and Austin, Texas, officially resurrecting the popular "nerd bird" route. The flight will originate in Portland, Ore., and the airline will add another daily flight between the three cities starting March 14, 2010. "This route is a natural extension of our network and provides a vital link between these high-tech hubs," said Steve Jarvis, Alaska Airlines' vice president of marketing, sales and customer experience.

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Tags: In-Flight WiFi / Southwest / Alaska Airlines / Airline News / Row 44 / Gogo / → All Tags

The FCC Is Cool With Row 44's In-Flight WiFi Satellite System

Most of our in-flight WiFi coverage has been focused on Aircell and their Gogo Internet service. However, there is another kid on the block, and Row 44 has been trying their best to gain some market share.

It's too bad Row 44 has had a slower start than their competition; after all, they have been teasing us with their goods for some time. At least they have partners like Alaska Airlines and Southwest, so they definitely have attracted some big business.

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Tags: Airline Fees / Alaska Airlines / Airline News / Checked Baggage Fees / → All Tags

Alaska Airlines Tries To Fit In By Charging For First Checked Bag

Late last week Alaska Airlines slipped a little announcement in along with their dismal first quarter earnings report. They decided to join the checked baggage fee club by charging $15 for your first checked bag. For now you’re still safe, but your summer vacation isn’t, the fee is effective after July 7 for tickets purchased starting on May 1.

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Tags: TSA Watch / Airport Security / Airport Hell / Travel Photography / DIA / Alaska Airlines / → All Tags

TSA Says Maybe To Photos, Yes To Boring Us To Death

As they are so apt to do, the TSA took an opportunity to publicly obfuscate an issue on its Evolution of Security blog this week. The topic: Photography at airports -- can you do it? The answer: Well... On one hand, it's okay if you don't bother anyone or slow down the checkpoint line; on the other hand, you should not "be surprised if someone (TSA, airport police, or a curious passenger) asks you what you’re up to."

Also, the state, city or airport may have its own rules, which apparently TSA can't override despite being a national agency and the First Amendment and can't you just wait to take that profile picture till you get home, Ansel Badams?

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Mount Redoubt Erupts; Alaska Airlines Cancels Flights

Not to be outdone by the underwater volcano in Tonga, Alaska's own Mount Redoubt has erupted four times last night, spraying ash nine miles into the air but fortunately sparing the nearby city of Anchorage any immediate ashfall. However, Alaska Airlines canceled 19 flights in and out of the Anchorage airport because of the ash and meteorologists do expect ash to begin falling later today.

Geologists at the Alaska Volcano Observatory have been closely monitoring the 10,200-foot volcano which is located in the Chigmit Mountains, about 100 miles southwest of Anchorage. It lasted erupted in 1989 and actually caught a KLM plane in its plume. Thankfully, the plane later landed safely at Anchorage but now we understand why Alaska Airlines was quick to ground their flights.

The AVO has (not surprisingly) been Twittering the volcano's activity and their last update from 38 minutes ago says, "Another large explosion is occurring at Redoubt." Yikes. But the last time Mount Redoubt erupted, it did so for about four months. So we could be in for the long haul here, folks. Alaska Airlines does have an advisory note on its website so check your flight status regularly if you think you might be affected.

Related Stories:
· Alaska volcano Mount Redoubt erupts 4 times [AP]
· Alaska Volcano Observatory [Official Site]
· Tonga's Underwater Volcano Might Affect the Fiji Beach Scene [Jaunted]

Tags: In-flight WiFi / Alaska Airlines / Flight Reviews / Row 44 / → All Tags

WiFi Is Working on Alaska Airlines But How Much Would You Pay?

While we have no idea what the heck is up with Air Canada's WiFi, we do know that Alaska Airline's internet service is real and it is mostly spectacular. Harriet Baskas, who writes Stuck at the Airport tipped us off to her in-flight WiFi experience yesterday as she rode Alaska Airlines from Seattle to Orange County and back.

The first day online (courtesy of Row 44) wasn't worthy of any Branson-style celebrations and in fact, the only way passengers knew that the service was on the plane was by noticing the big WiFi decal plane by the door or if they read the card in the seatback pocket. However, those who used it seemed to like it very much:

Once folks did discover the service - which is complimentary during the test period - they used it, talked about it to their seatmates and across the aisles and, of course, sent e-mail messages: “Guess where I’m writing from.”

The service was a bit sluggish on the return trip, which got folks talking even more, but generally once travelers got connected, they seemed delighted to have this new amenity as an in-flight option.

Stuck at the Airport then wrote that the airline is asking travelers to fill out a survey with an important question being: "How much would you pay for this service?" Ah, a loaded question indeed.

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Tags: In-Flight Wifi / Alaska Airlines / Airline News / Row 44 / → All Tags

Remember, Alaska Airlines Kicks Off Its WiFi Service Today

It’s only a matter of time before we’ll look back on the year that was, and realize that 2009 was the year of in-flight WiFi. We’ll start taking it for granted, complain that it’s too slow, and demand it on all flights. However, for now, we’ll take what we can get, but we’re getting one step closer today when Alaska Airlines starts their first WiFi flight.

If your traveling from Seattle down to San Jose today, then you’ll have a shot to test out the latest offering from Row 44. The WiFi service will be launched on Boeing 737-700 planes, so we’re thinking that it’s lucky Flight 328 that leaves Seattle at 2:20 PM, PT. As long as there’s no equipment swap, that’s the only flight between the two cities that will use that type of plane.

The service will be free for the first two months while they work out all the bugs, so if you’re on board there’s no reason not to check it out. Most importantly, if you are able to experience it first hand, you have to tell us. You can send a tweet, send a tip, or just throw a comment below. You’ll be our hero—at least for this week.

Related Stories:
·Alaska Airlines Offer In-Flight Wi-Fi [Coolest Gadgets]
·Alaska Air Starts WiFi Trials, Gives It Away For Free [Jaunted]
·Alaska Airlines coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Drewski2112]

Tags: In-Flight Wifi / Alaska Airlines / Airline News / Row 44 / → All Tags

Alaska Air Starts WiFi Trials, Gives It Away for Free

Jumping on the WiFi bandwagon this week is Alaska Airlines as they just announced the beginning of a free, two-month trial period of in-flight WiFi aboard their Seattle-San Jose route. What, no WiFi trial on actual Alaska routes? That is so not fair.

With the intent of outfitting their entire fleet, save for poor Horizon Air, Alaska has tapped Row 44, who also hooked up the WiFi for Southwest; that makes two successful clients for the start-up. If we are to put any stock in an old Daily Wireless story, then pricing for WiFi use after the trial period will be staggered at "$10 for up to two hours, $15 for 2-5hr and $20 for more than 5hr," with a peak aircraft bandwidth of 35 Mbps.

For anyone who hits the jackpot in March or April by stumbling onto one of these rare trial flights, do enjoy the healthy 2 hours of Twittering and YouTube it'll afford you, and don't forget to tell us all about it.

Related Stories:
· In-Flight WiFi Q&A [Alaska Airlines]
· WiFi Coming to Alaska Air, free for now [Seattle Times]
· Southwest's InFlight Internet: Testing, Testing [Jaunted]
· In-Flight WiFi coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Drewski2112]

Tags: Airfare Sales / Five Airfare Sales / Alaska Airlines / Alitalia / Open Skies / Cathay Pacific / Air New Zealand / → All Tags

Our Top Five International Airfare Sales Of The Moment

Since winter is only half over, we've decided that what everyone needs right now is a hardcore international escape. If your desire for the tropics has been replaced with a desperation to just get far, far away, then have we got the deals for you.

Taking a cue from some of our stories in the last few days, we've rounded up our Five Favorite Airfare Sales with a focus on globetrotting. There will be no mentions of commuter flights to Ypsilanti or Sulfur Springs this week, so sit back and book a serious sojourn already. Any tips on what you want to see more of or less of? Let us know.

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Tags: In-Flight WiFi / Row 44 / Southwest Airlines / Alaska Airlines / → All Tags

Row 44's CES Hype Doesn't Equal In-Flight Internet

In-flight WiFi provider Row 44 churned out the hype at this year's CES in Las Vegas, going so far as to bring a Grumman seaplane to host trial flights above the city for at least one journalist. But what would really impress us is if Row 44 could actually get its system up and running on a commercial flight.

See, Row 44 has been talking about how its satellite-based offering is superior to Gogo's cellular signal since at least 2007. But despite a promise from Southwest that planes would be internet-ready by 2008, we've yet to see that. Meanwhile, in September 2007, Alaska Airlines planned to have its whole 114-aircraft fleet outfitted by the end of 2009. At this point, one plane would be progress.

At CES, Row 44 claimed that trials on both airlines will start this month. But now that the company is officially the Thompson Hotels of airborne internet, we're not holding our breath. But with pricing rumored to be $6 for hand-held devicess and $8 for laptops, we'd love to give it a try. Maybe in 2010?

Related Stories:
· Row 44 Web Access for Airlines Gets a Test Flight [LA Times]
· Think the Guy in the Next Seat Is Annoying Now? [NYT Bits Blog]
· In-Flight WiFi: Best Amenity Ever Or Necessary Evil? [Jaunted]

[Photo: Marco Wessel]

Tags: Open Threads / In-Flight WiFi / Virgin America / Delta / Southwest Airlines / Alaska Airlines / Aircell / Gogo / Row 44 / → All Tags

In-Flight WiFi: Best Amenity Ever Or Necessary Evil?

If 2008 was the year that in-flight WiFi became a reality, 2009 is poised to be the year that most of us will accept it as a fact of the flying life. Virgin America is planning to trick out its whole fleet with internet and Delta is packing more than 300 planes with Gogo by this summer, and the CEO of Row 44 claims both Southwest and Alaska will have satellite-based WiFi installed this year.

While tech writer David Pogue naively griped recently about the cost of the in-flight experience revolution that's afoot, he also brought up an excellent question that's been rattling in the background of the conversation about in-air internet: Do we really want the final disconnected place on Earth overwhelmed by YouTube videos, LiveJournal and email messages from the boss?

At least one person we've talked to says Aircell WiFi is "totally worth it," while other reviewers give it high marks despite slight reservations about letting the internet further overwhelm their lives.

But what say you? Is it worth $13 to escape from the drone of jet engines and your miserable seatmate, even if it means we'll never again be able to disconnect and take a break from Twitter? Thoughts in the comments, please.

Related Stories:
· Our IM Interview with an AA Passenger [Jaunted]
· Gogo WiFi On American Is "Totally Worth It" [Jaunted]
· Aircell WiFi Gets Another Glowing Review [Jaunted]

[Photo: Marco Wessel]