Horizon Air
Encyclopedia
Horizon Air Industries, Inc. (d/b/a Horizon Air) is a regional
low-cost airline
based in SeaTac
, Washington, United States. It is the eighth largest regional airline in the USA, serving 52 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Horizon Air and its sister carrier Alaska Airlines
are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group
. It is also a substantial codeshare partner of American Airlines
and Delta Air Lines
.
in 1982. Its headquarters were in an area that is now within SeaTac, Washington
.
Horizon Air's first route was from Yakima
to Seattle, and one week later, Pasco
to Seattle. The general offices of Horizon Air were operated out of an old house behind Sea-Tac airport. Horizon acquired Air Oregon
on June 17, 1982, after both airlines were losing hundreds of thousands of dollars monthly, in order to consolidate and reduce their operating deficit. Horizon agreed to purchase Transwestern Airlines
of Utah in September 1983, once again to try to reduce operating deficit of the airline. A single Fokker F28
was the first jet owned by Horizon Air, purchased from a carrier in Africa, in July 1984, however their first jet was a wet lease
d Douglas DC-9.
An initial public offering
occurred in 1984 to secure operating capital, which after only one profitable year since founding, was needed to keep the airline afloat. On September 8, 1985 Horizon signed an agreement with de Havilland Canada
to begin purchasing the airline's first brand new aircraft, the de Haviland Dash 8. In the summer of 1985, Horizon entered into its first codeshare agreement with United Airlines
, which attracted the attention of Alaska Airlines
who finally purchased Horizon in 1986. Late in 1985 Horizon entered into an agreement to purchase their chief competitor in Washington, Cascade Airways
, but by early 1986 were released from the agreement.
In 1988 Horizon signed a codeshare agreement with Northwest Airlines
. In 1989, Horizon became an international carrier when it began service to Vancouver, BC and Victoria, BC in May of that year using both Dash-8-100s and Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner
.
Horizon was the launch customer for the Dornier 328
turboprop, intending to replace the Fairchild Metroliners with this new aircraft which promised jetliner speed and comfort. Prototype#2 was painted in Horizon colors. Twelve were delivered between November 1993 and November 1995, but they were quickly phased out in 1997 in favor of fleet standardization around the Dash-8.
and 1995 motion picture Georgia (1995 film)
.
On January 25, 2011, Alaska Airlines announced that it will be retiring the Horizon Air brand. All Horizon planes will be repainted in the trademarked eskimo Alaska livery, but the service and extras Horizon is known for will stay the same.
, American Airlines
, and Delta Air Lines
allows Horizon Air customers to fly to cities not served by Horizon Air throughout the U.S. as well as the rest of the world.
Horizon Air operates 49 narrow-body aircraft
as of June 2011, with a single economy class
service:
The average Horizon Air fleet age is 6 years old as of June 2011. The Q400 is a 74 or 76 seat, high-wing turboprop
. All Horizon Air aircraft are operated in a single class configuration. Each row has two seats on either side of the aisle. As such, there are no middle seats on Horizon, only window or aisle. Horizon Air features all leather seating.
In May 2011, SkyWest Airlines
would begin operating six of Alaska Airlines' West Coast routes using five Bombardier CRJ-700s purchased from Horizon Air. SkyWest owns, operates and maintains the aircraft, while Alaska Airlines schedules, prices and markets the flights.
Aircraft that have been in service with Horizon Air are (in alphabetical order):
On May 31, 2011, Horizon Air phased out the last of its CRJ-700 planes and now operates only the Q400. In January 2007, the Q200s were removed from Horizon Air service and were dry leased to CommutAir
.
. Eleven Q400s are currently painted in special liveries. Some Dash 8-200's (no longer in service with Horizon Air) had names of Horizon destinations printed near the front left door.
On January 25, 2011 Horizon Air announced it was retiring its public brand and adopted the trademark Eskimo of its sister company, Alaska Airlines, on its fleet. As part of the brand change, Horizon's Bombardier Q400 fleet will be repainted with a new paint scheme prominently featuring "Alaska" across the fuselage and the Eskimo on the tail. The plane will continue to include the Horizon logo on the sides of the aircraft, which will now appear in Alaska's dark blue color.
Many of the airline's special liveries feature the colors and logos of universities located in the Pacific Northwest. These include:
, and are located in seven west coast airports including: Anchorage
, Los Angeles
, Portland
, San Francisco
, and Seattle
. Board Room Members also have access to Delta Air Lines Sky Club at airports across the country. Memberships start at $45 for a single-day pass, up to $875 for a new three-year membership.
member airlines American Airlines
, British Airways
, Cathay Pacific
, LAN
, and Qantas
; SkyTeam
member airlines Air France
, Continental Airlines
(until October 24, 2009), Delta Air Lines
, and Northwest Airlines
; as well as Air Pacific
, Era Aviation
, Frontier Alaska
, Mokulele Airlines
, and PenAir
. MVP and MVP Gold are Mileage Plan's top tiers for experienced travelers.
The Mileage Plan program has no membership fee and any mileage will be valid to the last day of the 24th month following the month of the last flight or transaction date. In addition, if a Mileage Plan member does not accumulate mileage within nine months after becoming a member, or a Mileage Plan member's account remains inactive at zero mileage for a consecutive 24 month period, the Mileage Plan account will be canceled.
MVP level is achieved or retained when the member earns 20000 miles (32,186.8 km) on Alaska Airlines or Horizon Air, 25000 miles (40,233.5 km) on Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Air France, or LAN Airlines, or 30 one-way segments on any combination of Mileage Plan members. Membership benefits include 50 percent bonus mileage, priority check-in at First Class counters, priority seating on board Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air flights, as well as a 50 percent discount on Board Room membership. Members booked in fare class Y and YAS can be upgraded to First Class at anytime, and all other rate categories with in 48 hours of flight.
MVP level is achieved or retained when the member earns 40000 miles (64,373.6 km) on Alaska Airlines or Horizon Air, 50000 miles (80,467 km) on Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Air France, LAN, or Northwest Airlines, or 60 one-way segments on any combination of Mileage Plan members. Membership benefits include 100 percent bonus mileage, priority check-in at First Class counters, priority seating on board Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air flights, as well as complimentary Board Room membership. Members booked in fare class Y, S, B, M, H, or Value and Full Flex fares can be upgraded to First Class at anytime, and all other rate categories with in 72 hours of flight. Companions also receive this benefit, and members are given four complimentary upgrade certificates for guests annually. A 50000 miles (80,467 km) bonus is awarded to MVP Gold members who travel at least 75000 miles (120,700.5 km) on Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, American Airlines, Air France, Delta Air Lines, LAN, KLM, or Northwest Airlines, or 100 total one-way segments.
coffee is served in-flight on all Horizon Air flights, and is brewed at the terminal and served in thermos containers on board the aircraft. Horizon has set itself apart from its sister company and other airlines by offering, to passengers of age, free Northwest beer and wine. Other free beverages include Coca-Cola
products, Talking Rain
sparkling water, juices, and tea. Horizon also offers a limited buy on board meal service. This includes a variety of snack packs and Umpqua Oats All Natural Oatmeal Unlike Alaska Airlines, there are currently no plans to install in flight wireless internet on board Horizon Air planes.
Regional airline
Regional airlines are airlines that operate regional aircraft to provide passenger air service to communities without sufficient demand to attract mainline service...
low-cost airline
Low-cost carrier
A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that generally has lower fares and fewer comforts...
based in SeaTac
SeaTac, Washington
SeaTac is an American city in southern King County, Washington, and an outlying suburb of Seattle, Washington. Incorporated in February 1990, the City of SeaTac is ten square miles in area and has a population of 26,909 according to the 2010 census...
, Washington, United States. It is the eighth largest regional airline in the USA, serving 52 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Horizon Air and its sister carrier Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group
Alaska Air Group
Alaska Air Group Inc., is an aviation holding firm / corporation based in SeaTac, Washington which owns two certificated airlines operating in the United States: Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. In 1985, it was formed and a year later the holding company acquired Horizon Air and Jet America...
. It is also a substantial codeshare partner of American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
and Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
.
1980s
Horizon Air was formed in May 1981 by Milt Kuolt, and started operations on September 1, 1981 with three Fairchild F-27 aircraft. The airline was formed as a merger of Horizon Airlines and Air OregonAir Oregon
Air Oregon was founded in 1978 in Portland, Oregon. It was later acquired in 1981 by Horizon Air....
in 1982. Its headquarters were in an area that is now within SeaTac, Washington
SeaTac, Washington
SeaTac is an American city in southern King County, Washington, and an outlying suburb of Seattle, Washington. Incorporated in February 1990, the City of SeaTac is ten square miles in area and has a population of 26,909 according to the 2010 census...
.
Horizon Air's first route was from Yakima
Yakima, Washington
Yakima is an American city southeast of Mount Rainier National Park and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the eighth largest city by population in the state itself. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 91,196 and a metropolitan population of...
to Seattle, and one week later, Pasco
Pasco, Washington
Pasco is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Washington, United States.Pasco is one of three cities that make up the Tri-Cities region of the state of Washington...
to Seattle. The general offices of Horizon Air were operated out of an old house behind Sea-Tac airport. Horizon acquired Air Oregon
Air Oregon
Air Oregon was founded in 1978 in Portland, Oregon. It was later acquired in 1981 by Horizon Air....
on June 17, 1982, after both airlines were losing hundreds of thousands of dollars monthly, in order to consolidate and reduce their operating deficit. Horizon agreed to purchase Transwestern Airlines
Transwestern Airlines
Transwestern Airlines was a regional airline based out of Logan, Utah. It was later acquired by Horizon Air in 1983.Transwestern's hub was at the Logan-Cache Airport.-Destinations:*Colorado**Grand Junction*Idaho**Boise...
of Utah in September 1983, once again to try to reduce operating deficit of the airline. A single Fokker F28
Fokker F28
The Fokker F28 Fellowship is a short range jet airliner designed and built by defunct Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.-Design and development:...
was the first jet owned by Horizon Air, purchased from a carrier in Africa, in July 1984, however their first jet was a wet lease
Wet lease
Aircraft leases are a number of types of leases used by airlines and other aircraft operators. Airlines lease aircraft from other airlines or leasing companies for two main reasons; to operate aircraft without the financial burden of buying them, and to provide temporary increase in capacity...
d Douglas DC-9.
An initial public offering
Initial public offering
An initial public offering or stock market launch, is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. It can be used by either small or large companies to raise expansion capital and become publicly traded enterprises...
occurred in 1984 to secure operating capital, which after only one profitable year since founding, was needed to keep the airline afloat. On September 8, 1985 Horizon signed an agreement with de Havilland Canada
De Havilland Canada
The de Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. company was an aircraft manufacturer with facilities based in what is now the Downsview area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
to begin purchasing the airline's first brand new aircraft, the de Haviland Dash 8. In the summer of 1985, Horizon entered into its first codeshare agreement with United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, which attracted the attention of Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
who finally purchased Horizon in 1986. Late in 1985 Horizon entered into an agreement to purchase their chief competitor in Washington, Cascade Airways
Cascade Airways
Cascade Airways was an airline which flew primarily regional air routes out of Seattle, Washington, USA. It was founded in 1969, but later shut down in 1986.-Operations:The headquarters for the company was in Spokane, WA...
, but by early 1986 were released from the agreement.
In 1988 Horizon signed a codeshare agreement with Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
. In 1989, Horizon became an international carrier when it began service to Vancouver, BC and Victoria, BC in May of that year using both Dash-8-100s and Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner
Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner
The Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner or the Fairchild Aerospace Metro is a 19-seat, pressurised, twin turboprop airliner first produced by Swearingen Aircraft and later by Fairchild at a plant in San Antonio, Texas, United States....
.
1990s
Dornier 328
|-See also:- References :* Swanborough, Gordon. "Dornier 328: A Daimler for Commuters". Air International, March 1992, Vol. 42 No. 3. pp. 123–128. ISSN 0306-5634....
turboprop, intending to replace the Fairchild Metroliners with this new aircraft which promised jetliner speed and comfort. Prototype#2 was painted in Horizon colors. Twelve were delivered between November 1993 and November 1995, but they were quickly phased out in 1997 in favor of fleet standardization around the Dash-8.
2000s
In the spring of 2007, Horizon launched service from Los Angeles and Seattle to Santa Rosa, California to take advantage of the burgeoning wine and tourism industry. This was a significant coup for the Sonoma County region which had not had regularly scheduled air service in almost six years. The new routes proved so popular that in the fall of 2007, Horizon commenced non stop service from Portland, OR to Santa Rosa, and expanded the schedule for non stop flights between Los Angeles and Santa Rosa. It is wholly owned by the Alaska Air Group and has 4,040 employees (at March 2007). Horizon Air has been featured in several films, including the 1983 motion picture WarGamesWarGames
WarGames is a 1983 American Cold War suspense/science-fiction film written by Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes and directed by John Badham. The film stars Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy....
and 1995 motion picture Georgia (1995 film)
Georgia (1995 film)
Georgia is a 1995 American independent film starring Jennifer Jason Leigh and Mare Winningham. In the film, Leigh played Sadie Flood, a punky barroom singer who has a complicated, jealous but loving relationship with her older sister, Georgia, played by Winningham. Georgia is a successful, talented...
.
2010s
On August 23, 2010, it was announced that Horizon's business model was to change to having all decisions about route choices and marketing services being made by Alaska Airlines by the beginning of 2011. The business model Alaska Air Group Inc. is adapting is called the "Capacity Purchase Agreement." The change would mean that all ticket revenue would go to Alaska Airlines, and Horizon's operating costs would be covered by Alaska Airlines. Before the change, limited amounts of Horizon routes had been operated as such, but more had been run entirely by Horizon.On January 25, 2011, Alaska Airlines announced that it will be retiring the Horizon Air brand. All Horizon planes will be repainted in the trademarked eskimo Alaska livery, but the service and extras Horizon is known for will stay the same.
Management
Glenn Johnson was appointed President of Horizon Air in June 2010, replacing the retiring CEO and President Jeff Pinneo. Johnson joined Alaska Airlines in 1982 as a staff auditor and was promoted to Director of Revenue Accounting. In 1991, he joined Horizon as Vice President of Finance and Treasurer, and was then promoted to Senior Vice President of Customer Services. In 2003, Johnson returned to Alaska to serve as Vice President of Finance and Treasurer for Alaska Air Group and Alaska Airlines, and he was subsequently promoted to Executive Vice President and CFO.Destinations
Horizon's 47 destinations are located in the U.S. states of Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. Horizon also has service to Alberta and British Columbia, Canada as well as Baja California Sur, Mexico. Codesharing with Alaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
, American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, and Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
allows Horizon Air customers to fly to cities not served by Horizon Air throughout the U.S. as well as the rest of the world.
Fleet
Narrow-body aircraft
A narrow-body aircraft is an airliner with a fuselage aircraft cabin width typically of 3 to 4 metres , and airline seat arranged 2 to 6 abreast along a single aisle...
as of June 2011, with a single economy class
Economy class
__FORCETOC__Economy class, also called coach class , steerage, or standard class, is the lowest class of seating in air travel, rail travel, and sometimes ferry or maritime travel....
service:
| Aircraft | Total | Orders | Passengers (Economy) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bombardier Q400 |
The average Horizon Air fleet age is 6 years old as of June 2011. The Q400 is a 74 or 76 seat, high-wing turboprop
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
. All Horizon Air aircraft are operated in a single class configuration. Each row has two seats on either side of the aisle. As such, there are no middle seats on Horizon, only window or aisle. Horizon Air features all leather seating.
In May 2011, SkyWest Airlines
Skywest Airlines
Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd is a regional airline company based in Perth, Western Australia, Australia; servicing key towns in the state of Western Australia, Darwin, Northern Territory and Melbourne, Victoria; as well as charter flights to Bali, Indonesia....
would begin operating six of Alaska Airlines' West Coast routes using five Bombardier CRJ-700s purchased from Horizon Air. SkyWest owns, operates and maintains the aircraft, while Alaska Airlines schedules, prices and markets the flights.
Fleet history
- Bombardier Dash 8-100
- Bombardier Q200
- Bombardier CRJ700Bombardier CRJ700The Bombardier CRJ700, CRJ900, and CRJ1000 are regional airliners based on the Bombardier CRJ200. Final assembly of the aircraft is at Montréal-Mirabel International Airport in Mirabel, Quebec, outside Montreal, Canada.-Development:...
- Dornier 328Dornier 328|-See also:- References :* Swanborough, Gordon. "Dornier 328: A Daimler for Commuters". Air International, March 1992, Vol. 42 No. 3. pp. 123–128. ISSN 0306-5634....
- Douglas DC-9
- Fairchild F-27
- Fairchild Metroliner IIFairchild Swearingen MetrolinerThe Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner or the Fairchild Aerospace Metro is a 19-seat, pressurised, twin turboprop airliner first produced by Swearingen Aircraft and later by Fairchild at a plant in San Antonio, Texas, United States....
(former Air OregonAir OregonAir Oregon was founded in 1978 in Portland, Oregon. It was later acquired in 1981 by Horizon Air....
) - Fairchild Metroliner IIIFairchild Swearingen MetrolinerThe Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner or the Fairchild Aerospace Metro is a 19-seat, pressurised, twin turboprop airliner first produced by Swearingen Aircraft and later by Fairchild at a plant in San Antonio, Texas, United States....
(former Air Oregon) - Fokker F28Fokker F28The Fokker F28 Fellowship is a short range jet airliner designed and built by defunct Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.-Design and development:...
On May 31, 2011, Horizon Air phased out the last of its CRJ-700 planes and now operates only the Q400. In January 2007, the Q200s were removed from Horizon Air service and were dry leased to CommutAir
CommutAir
Champlain Enterprises, Inc., operating name CommutAir, is an American regional airline with its headquarters in South Burlington, Vermont and its operations center in North Olmsted, Ohio. It operates under the name Continental Connection for United Continental Holdings, with its main bases at...
.
Livery
At the start of the carrier, Horizon had a painted sunset with a small beach with capitalized words saying "Horizon". Until recently, the current Horizon Air livery was very similar to its parent, Alaska Airlines, except for a dark red (rather than blue) cheatline, and the tail includes a stylized sun and sunset logo, rather than an EskimoEskimo
Eskimos or Inuit–Yupik peoples are indigenous peoples who have traditionally inhabited the circumpolar region from eastern Siberia , across Alaska , Canada, and Greenland....
. Eleven Q400s are currently painted in special liveries. Some Dash 8-200's (no longer in service with Horizon Air) had names of Horizon destinations printed near the front left door.
On January 25, 2011 Horizon Air announced it was retiring its public brand and adopted the trademark Eskimo of its sister company, Alaska Airlines, on its fleet. As part of the brand change, Horizon's Bombardier Q400 fleet will be repainted with a new paint scheme prominently featuring "Alaska" across the fuselage and the Eskimo on the tail. The plane will continue to include the Horizon logo on the sides of the aircraft, which will now appear in Alaska's dark blue color.
Special liveries
Eleven Q400s are painted in special liveries:- N425QX is a 25th anniversary theme, featuring bright colors and confetti painted along the entire plane. Casually referred to as either "The Party Plane" or "Skittles."
- Two aircraft are painted in the "Comfortably Greener" scheme to highlight the fuel-saving attributes of the Q400 over regional jets. One is N439QX, and N438QX was later painted in the same scheme; together, these two planes are casually referred to as "Shrek" and "Fiona."
Many of the airline's special liveries feature the colors and logos of universities located in the Pacific Northwest. These include:
- N400QX for the University of IdahoUniversity of IdahoThe University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
Vandals - N401QX for the Washington State UniversityWashington State UniversityWashington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
Cougars - N402QX for the University of Montana Grizzlies
- N403QX for the Montana State University Bobcats
- N407QX for the University of OregonUniversity of Oregon-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
Ducks - N435QX for the University of WashingtonUniversity of WashingtonUniversity of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
Huskies, to replace the now-retired UW-themed CRJ, which formerly featured the same colors. - N437QX for the Boise State UniversityBoise State UniversityBoise State University is a public university located in Boise, Idaho. Originally founded in 1932 as a junior college by the Episcopal Church, the university became an independent institution in 1934, and has been awarding baccalaureate and master degrees since 1965...
Broncos, to celebrate over twenty-five years of service to Boise. - N440QX for the Oregon State UniversityOregon State UniversityOregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
Beavers. This plane is Horizon Air's first "Next Gen" Q400, outfitted with a modernized interior featuring LED lighting, larger overhead bins, and scalloped sidewall panels with sun shades.
Services
Many of the airline's services are the same as those offered by Alaska Airlines, which is Horizon Air's sister company.Board Room
Board Room is the Alaska Air Group airport loungeAirport lounge
An airport lounge is a lounge owned by a particular airline . Many offer private meeting rooms, phone, fax, wireless and Internet access and other business services, along with provisions to enhance comfort such as free drinks and snacks...
, and are located in seven west coast airports including: Anchorage
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
-Top destinations:-Scheduled cargo airlines:-Top destinations:-Scheduled cargo airlines:-Top destinations:-Scheduled cargo airlines:-Inter-terminal:...
, Los Angeles
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
, Portland
Portland International Airport
Portland International Airport is a joint civil-military airport and the largest airport in the U.S. state of Oregon, accounting for 90% of passenger travel and more than 95% of air cargo of the state. It is located within Portland's city limits just south of the Columbia River in Multnomah...
, San Francisco
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO...
, and Seattle
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
The Seattle–Tacoma International Airport , also known as Sea–Tac Airport or Sea–Tac , is an American airport located in SeaTac, Washington, at the intersections of State Routes 99 and 509 and 518, about west of Interstate 5...
. Board Room Members also have access to Delta Air Lines Sky Club at airports across the country. Memberships start at $45 for a single-day pass, up to $875 for a new three-year membership.
Mileage Plan
Mileage Plan is the travel rewards program of the Alaska Air Group, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. The program's airline partners also include OneworldOneworld
Oneworld , branded as oneworld, is one of the world's three largest global airline alliances with its central management team, oneworld Management Company, based in New York City, New York, USA. Oneworld was founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific...
member airlines American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
, Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main hub located at Hong Kong International Airport, although the airline's registered office is on the 33rd floor of One Pacific Place...
, LAN
LAN Airlines
LAN Airlines S.A. is an airline based in Santiago, Chile. LAN is currently positioned amongst the largest airlines in Latin America, serving Latin America, United States, the Caribbean, Oceania, and Europe. It is a member of the Oneworld airline alliance...
, and Qantas
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
; SkyTeam
SkyTeam
SkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands...
member airlines Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
, Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
(until October 24, 2009), Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
, and Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
; as well as Air Pacific
Air Pacific
Air Pacific Limited, Fiji's international airline, operates international and domestic services around the Pacific and to North America and Hong Kong. It is also a partner with the frequent flyer programmes of Qantas, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines...
, Era Aviation
Era Aviation
Era Alaska is an airline headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska, United States. It operates a network of services from Anchorage as part of an Alaska Airlines Partnership. Its primary hub is Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.- History :...
, Frontier Alaska
Frontier Alaska
Frontier Alaska is the name under which HoTH, Inc., markets the services of its multiple airline holdings: Frontier Flying Service, Hageland Aviation Services, and Era Aviation.-History:...
, Mokulele Airlines
Mokulele Airlines
Mokulele Airlines, is an American commuter airline headquartered in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii. The airline operates scheduled inter-island and charter flights primarily among Hawaii's smaller airports.-History:...
, and PenAir
PenAir
Peninsula Airways, doing business as PenAir, is an American airline headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska. It is Alaska's second largest commuter airline operating an extensive scheduled passenger and cargo service, as well as charter and medevac services...
. MVP and MVP Gold are Mileage Plan's top tiers for experienced travelers.
The Mileage Plan program has no membership fee and any mileage will be valid to the last day of the 24th month following the month of the last flight or transaction date. In addition, if a Mileage Plan member does not accumulate mileage within nine months after becoming a member, or a Mileage Plan member's account remains inactive at zero mileage for a consecutive 24 month period, the Mileage Plan account will be canceled.
MVP and MVP Gold
The MVP and MVP Gold program is the frequent flyer service status program and is divided into two membership levels, MVP and MVP Gold based on the member's travel in the last calendar year. Higher-tiered members are provided with increased travel benefits such as bonus mileage, priority boarding and airport lounge access.MVP
MVP level is achieved or retained when the member earns 20000 miles (32,186.8 km) on Alaska Airlines or Horizon Air, 25000 miles (40,233.5 km) on Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Air France, or LAN Airlines, or 30 one-way segments on any combination of Mileage Plan members. Membership benefits include 50 percent bonus mileage, priority check-in at First Class counters, priority seating on board Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air flights, as well as a 50 percent discount on Board Room membership. Members booked in fare class Y and YAS can be upgraded to First Class at anytime, and all other rate categories with in 48 hours of flight.
MVP Gold
MVP level is achieved or retained when the member earns 40000 miles (64,373.6 km) on Alaska Airlines or Horizon Air, 50000 miles (80,467 km) on Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Air France, LAN, or Northwest Airlines, or 60 one-way segments on any combination of Mileage Plan members. Membership benefits include 100 percent bonus mileage, priority check-in at First Class counters, priority seating on board Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air flights, as well as complimentary Board Room membership. Members booked in fare class Y, S, B, M, H, or Value and Full Flex fares can be upgraded to First Class at anytime, and all other rate categories with in 72 hours of flight. Companions also receive this benefit, and members are given four complimentary upgrade certificates for guests annually. A 50000 miles (80,467 km) bonus is awarded to MVP Gold members who travel at least 75000 miles (120,700.5 km) on Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, American Airlines, Air France, Delta Air Lines, LAN, KLM, or Northwest Airlines, or 100 total one-way segments.
On board services
Since 1991, StarbucksStarbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
coffee is served in-flight on all Horizon Air flights, and is brewed at the terminal and served in thermos containers on board the aircraft. Horizon has set itself apart from its sister company and other airlines by offering, to passengers of age, free Northwest beer and wine. Other free beverages include Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
products, Talking Rain
Talking Rain
Talking Rain is a privately held beverage company based in Preston, Washington. It specializes in spring water products, some of which are distributed only in the Pacific Northwest region. The company was founded in 1987.-Products:...
sparkling water, juices, and tea. Horizon also offers a limited buy on board meal service. This includes a variety of snack packs and Umpqua Oats All Natural Oatmeal Unlike Alaska Airlines, there are currently no plans to install in flight wireless internet on board Horizon Air planes.
Incidents and accidents
Since the founding, no fatal accidents have occurred.- On May 2, 1986, a Fairchild MetrolinerFairchild Swearingen MetrolinerThe Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner or the Fairchild Aerospace Metro is a 19-seat, pressurised, twin turboprop airliner first produced by Swearingen Aircraft and later by Fairchild at a plant in San Antonio, Texas, United States....
was hijackedAircraft hijackingAircraft hijacking is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves, such as the September 11 attacks of 2001...
between Eugene, OregonEugene, OregonEugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
and PortlandPortland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. The pilot convinced the hijacker to allow the plane to stop in HillsboroHillsboro, OregonHillsboro is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County. Lying in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city is home to many high-technology companies, such as Intel, that compose what has become known as the...
to refuel and even let the pilot off the plane, who then called the FBI.
- On April 15, 1988, Flight 2658, a DeHavilland Canada Dash 8-100 (N819PH-Great City of Sun Valley), enroute from Seattle to Spokane with 37 passenger and 3 crew members, crashed after attempting an emergency landing in Seattle, Washington when the number two (right side/starboard) engine caught fire (due to a manufacturing defect) after take-off from Seattle. Loss of hydraulic pressure due to the fire caused the aircraft to veer off the runway, across the grass, across Taxiway B and crash into the B7 and B9 jetways, destroying the plane. There were 4 serious injuries and no fatalities.
- On May 23, 1990, a Fairchild Metroliner III on a flight from Portland to Seattle suffered a window blowout at 14000 feet (4,267.2 m) above OlympiaOlympia, WashingtonOlympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
. The flight made an emergency descent and landing to its planned destination of Sea-Tac Airport. The passenger seated next to the window, who was partially sucked out of the plane for a brief period, was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for his injuries and released.
See also
- Alaska Air GroupAlaska Air GroupAlaska Air Group Inc., is an aviation holding firm / corporation based in SeaTac, Washington which owns two certificated airlines operating in the United States: Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. In 1985, it was formed and a year later the holding company acquired Horizon Air and Jet America...
- Parent company - Alaska AirlinesAlaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
- MainlineMainline (flight)A mainline flight is a flight operated by an airline's main operating unit, rather than by regional alliances, regional code-shares or regional subsidiaries...
airline co-subsidiary of Horizon's regional operations