* Editor’s note: I formerly worked in airline management. I watched airlines with ego-driven leaders sink their airlines with expansion costs, labor increases, and diminishing reserves from higher fuel prices. Alaska Air is making the same error as so many previous airlines that have not survived.
What makes Alaska Air think they will make money flying SEA-Tahiti when their own partner Air Tahiti did not do so and pulled out in January 2026? And Air Tahihi Nui fed their Seattle-Tahiti flight with a Paris-Seattle tag, plus Alaska Air’s feed. And Delta Airlines flew to Tahiti from their mega-hub at LAX and dropped Tahiti service in June 2025. And Air Tahiti Nui flew SEA-Tahiti with a 787, which has lower operating costs than Hawaiian Air’s A-330 flying SEA-Tahiti.
Delta dropped their Seattle-Osaka flights in 2020 when COVID spread, and has chosen to not restart this route. That speaks volumes. And with the Delta/Northwest Airlines merger in 2008, they inherited name recognition and brand identity across Japan even to this day. Alaska does not have that, as their OneWorld partner Japan Airlines has the identity in Japan for Seattle-bound fliers.
As I have written here previously, watch Alaska Air’s cash flow. I would not be buying stock in the Alaska Air Group with their wildly spending money with unbridled expansionary plans; and costly aircraft interior overhauls coupled with record jet fuel prices. Alaska Air is taking a huge gamble walking on a razor’s edge of perilous issues.
+ CNBC: Oct. 20, 2026: United slashes 2026 profit outlook on fuel prices, but travelers keep booking despite higher fares
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Alaska Launching Seattle To Osaka & Tahiti Flights, Using Hawaiian A330s
Except from Alaska Airlines:
Summary
Osaka, Japan and Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia, become the eighth and ninth long-haul intercontinental routes added to Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines’ growing global network from Seattle and advance Alaska Accelerate, the company’s mission to connect the Pacific Northwest with more destinations around the world.
The combined airline will offer the only nonstop service between Seattle and Osaka and Papeete, with Hawaiian Airlines serving the routes beginning next spring.
Guests traveling aboard Hawaiian Airlines Airbus’ A330 fleet will enjoy the signature Hawaiian hospitality they know and love, paired with a premium experience, including free Starlink Wi-Fi for Atmos™ Rewards members, thanks to T-Mobile.
To celebrate the two new routes, the airline is offering special introductory round-trip Main Cabin fares to both destinations, subject to availability.
Click here to read the full story.
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