As of Dec. 4, Seattle, Washington-based Alaska Airlines and Honolulu, Hawaii-based Hawaiian Airlines entered into an acquisition agreement under which Alaska Airlines will acquire Hawaiian Airlines for nearly $1.9 billion. The goal of the acquisition is for the combined company to offer more destinations for customers and better expand travel access.
“This combination is an exciting next step in our collective journey to provide a better travel experience for our guests and expand options for West Coast and Hawaii travelers,” says Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Airlines, in a prepared statement. “We have a longstanding and deep respect for Hawaiian Airlines, for their role as a top employer in Hawaii, and for how their brand and people carry the warm culture of aloha around the globe.”
The agreement is also expected to offer better long-term employment opportunities for employees and provide a stronger platform for growth and competition as a top airline in the U.S. “Since 1929, Hawaiian Airlines has been an integral part of life in Hawaii, and, together with Alaska Airlines, we will be able to deliver more for our guests, employees, and the communities that we serve,” says Peter Ingram, president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, in a prepared statement. “In Alaska Airlines, we are joining an airline that has long served Hawaii and has a complementary network and a shared culture of service. … Together, Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines can bring our authentic brands of hospitality to more of the world while continuing to serve our valued local communities.”
