Alaska Airlines Axing Frequencies on Some Transcon Routes

April 18, 2018

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2 min read

Alaska Airlines Axing Frequencies on Some Transcon Routes

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Alaska Airlines bought out Virgin America in 2016, and with it came lots of new aircraft and routes. On Wednesday, the airline announced that it will be cutting back service on some of those routes that it acquired from Virgin.

According to Routes Online, Alaska will be reducing frequency on its routes between Los Angeles (LAX) and New York (JFK), and San Francisco (SFO) and JFK starting July 6. It will fly between New York and Los Angeles five times a day, and New York and San Francisco four times daily — each route with one less daily flight.

Alaska still has 3-4 daily flights between Newark (EWR) and San Francisco, and another four between EWR and Los Angeles. Earlier this month, the airline announced it'd be expanding its transcontinental service with a new route from San Jose (SJC) and increased frequency to New York from Seattle (SEA).

It's likely that Alaska is shifting around its aircraft to offer more transcontinental service outside of the former Virgin hubs of LAX and SFO — the same day it's cutting the aforementioned routes, it's launching flights from San Jose. Alaska is competing with premium transcon products like JetBlue Mint and some offerings from the big three legacy carriers, all of which offer lie-flat beds in business on some aircraft on these routes.

Alaska and Virgin aircraft both feature recliner seats in the first class cabins, and Alaska plans on retrofitting old Virgin aircraft to feature a new, although less spacious, business class recliner seat.