Alaska boosts California frequencies, sets shuttle-type LAX-SEA service

Alaska Airlines said it will add more flights and introduce regular departure times on the hour or half-hour, starting this spring on routes between Seattle and half a dozen California cities. The biggest schedule bump will come in the Seattle-Los Angeles market, where Alaska on April 27 will increase its schedule from 12 daily departures on weekdays to 15, departing on the hour southbound and on the half-hour northbound. The airline’s spring schedule also calls for nine flights a day between Seattle and Orange County, eight between Seattle and San Francisco, and seven a day between Seattle-San Jose, Seattle-San Diego and Seattle-Oakland. To free up aircraft for the increases, Alaska will end service between Oakland and Orange County on April 1. In addition, members of the carrier’s Mileage Plan who register online (www.alaskaair.com) and fly two SEA-LAX or SEA-SFO roundtrips between March 15-May 15 will qualify to earn double miles on those two routes through the rest of 2008.