Cutbacks take effect in November

Alaska Airlines is the latest carrier to announce a cutback in scheduled service. The Seattle-based carrier said that its winter schedule, effective November 9, will bring a reduction of eight percent in overall capacity, and a 15 percent cut in total departures. As a result, the airline will cut its workforce by nine to 10 percent. Alaska recently eliminated the last of its MD-80s, and now has a fleet of 111 Boeing 737s. Alaska said its winter schedule cutbacks will be achieved mostly by canceling low-demand flights on Saturdays and holidays, and by cutting one flight a day from its schedule on high-frequency routes like those between Seattle and the San Francisco Bay area, and between Seattle and Southern California airports. It will also replace 737s with Horizon Air regional jets and Q400 turboprops on routes between Portland, Ore. and the Bay Area. Alaska also will end its seasonal Mexico service from San Francisco to Cancun, Mazatlan and Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo; it recently halted service between Portland-Orlando and San Francisco-Vancouver as well. Alaska will add new twice-daily service October 26 between Seattle and Minneapolis/St. Paul, and new daily flights November 17 between Seattle and Kona, Hawaii.