FAIRBANKS — A new incentive program to be tried at Alaska’s two largest airports could mean more flights and fewer stops when traveling to the Lower 48.
The program created by the Alaska Department of Transportation currently is under public review. It calls for waiving certain fees for airlines that expand or create new passenger or cargo service to Fairbanks International Airport and Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported Friday.
Deb Hickok, the president and chief executive officer of the nonprofit Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau, said that was good news for travelers.
“We’re not like most of the Lower 48, where you can drive anywhere or you have multiple carriers offering competitive flights,” she said. “Access and direct flights are very important for tourism development in our community.”
Persuading airlines to increase service to Alaska can be a hard sell, said Angie Spear, spokeswoman for the Fairbanks airport.
“We’re a long-haul flight,” she said. “It’s not easy to create new service, especially with the rising prices of fuel.”
The program works by cutting landing fees for the new or expanded services for a limited time.
Comments (6)
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And this is relevant to Juneau how? Wien, Mark, Delta. Doesn't matter ak airs monopoly cannot be broken unless state workers (& elected officials) accumulated airline mileage is pooled or it's use restricted to state business only.
ticket cost
Again Juneau gets the shaft. We have only one airline that flys into Juneau. Maybe if Juneau could offer some incentives for other carriers we to could experiance lower fares.
Maybe if Juneau travelers -
Maybe if Juneau travelers - ALL Juneau travelers, would forgo their Alaska Airlines mileage for a flight or 2, the competition would be able to gain a foothold. As a former travel agent of 17 years I feel I'm qualified to say that it's not just the state workers wanting their mileage. I booked many, many travelers when Delta was here and again when Markair came in and all of them were grateful for the lower fares. But 90% of them would then say - "But I need to fly on Alaska Air, because that's where my mileage plan is." The community of Juneau did not support the competition, and now all they do is [filtered word] about the prices and how we need competition....
i can
I can (filtered word) because I did fly Erin, mark & delta & I reiterate state workers flying on state money shouldn't be allowed to use those miles to take their families on vacation
Before mileage
Juneau travelers always picked Alaska Airlines even before any airlines started this mileage programs started. Those other airlines left because they couldn't make any money because everyone flew Alaska Airlines. Wien Air went out of business not because of Alaska Airlines. It seems like Juneau works real hard at not allowing new enterprises in to any Juneau market. I saw this happening when I lived in Juneau and it is still happening today.
Good news
I saw an article in the Anchorage news telling all the great prices Alaska Airlines has right now. The only thing was, all the good prices were from Anchorage where there is a lot of airline competition. I couldn't find any such specials from Juneau.
Is there a message here for us????