In 1949, the CAB tightened its regulations and placed heavy fines on the airline and shut it down completely for safety violations. Despite its success, Alaska Airlines' worldwide charter business was short-lived. It kept a branch office in Anchorage, however. Īlaska Airlines' large charter business made it profitable, and the airline moved its base of operations to Paine Field, an airport north of Seattle. Alaska Airlines was the first carrier certified to operate DC-3s on skis. The airline purchased Douglas DC-3s, Douglas DC-4s, and Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commandos. Under his leadership, the company purchased many surplus military aircraft from the government that were used during World War II. In 1947, jockey James Wooten became president of the airline and he began to expand the airline greatly. In 1945, Alaska Airlines hired its first stewardesses. Expansion after World War II (1945–1949) An Alaska Airlines Douglas DC-3, one of the aircraft purchased by the airline after World War II That same year, the company's stock was traded for the first time on the American Stock Exchange.
In 1943, Alaska Airlines purchased the Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar, its first multi-engine aircraft. The company, which was frequently subjected to lawsuits, also went through many different presidents during this time. During the war, the airline lacked funds and equipment, and pilots were often forced to buy fuel for their planes out of their own pockets. When the United States entered World War II in December 1941, Alaska Airlines faced a shortage of pilots. In the 1940s, Alaska's headquarters were in Anchorage. The name Alaska Airlines was adopted on May 2, 1944, having narrowly beaten a competitor who was also applying for the name. That year, the airline's name was changed to Alaska Star Airlines. In 1942, the airline purchased three other airlines in Alaska, Lavery Air Service, Mirow Air Service, and Pollack Flying Service, as well as a hangar at the Anchorage airport. In 1941, Star Air Service was purchased by Raymond Marshall, a businessman from New York City. In 1938, federal regulation began when Congress created the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), which awarded the airline most of the routes that it wanted in Alaska, but the coveted route between Seattle and Anchorage was awarded to Pan American Airways. Star was again sold later that year to a group of miners. That year, Star Air Service purchased Alaska Interior Airlines and was incorporated as Star Air Lines. In 1937, McGee came back to the airline and opened a liquor store, and the airline began flying liquor to remote Alaskan communities. With a fleet of 15 aircraft, Star Air Service was a dominant airline in Alaska, but Star continued to struggle financially because of high maintenance costs for its wood-and-fabric planes. This allowed McGee to enter the mining industry. The first of these mergers was in 1934, when McGee sold his namesake airline for US$50,000 (equivalent to $1,093,781 in 2022) to Star Air Service, an airline also located in Anchorage. Too many airlines were in Anchorage at the time, with not enough demand to support them. The airline struggled financially during the Great Depression. Service was unscheduled, with flights taking off when passengers or a load of cargo or mail needed passage. McGee Airways, a precursor to Alaska Airlines, was established by Linious "Mac" McGee and flew its first service between Anchorage and Bristol Bay. See also: McGee Airways and Star Air Service A Stinson "S" Junior aircraft of McGee Airways: McGee Airways was the precursor to present-day Alaska Airlines. Power and Associates as having the highest customer satisfaction of the traditional airlines for twelve consecutive years. As of 2020, the airline employs over 16,000 people and has been ranked by J. Alaska Airlines is a member of Oneworld, the third-largest airline alliance in the world. The airline operates out of five hubs, with its primary hub being at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport. Alaska, together with its regional partners Horizon Air and SkyWest Airlines, operates a route network primarily focused on connecting cities along the West Coast of the United States to over 100 destinations in the contiguous United States, Guatemala, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, and Mexico. It is the fifth-largest airline in North America when measured by scheduled passengers carried. Alaska Airlines is a major American airline headquartered in SeaTac, Washington, within the Seattle metropolitan area.
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