Alaska Airlines has boosted its freight service, a move expected to benefit rural areas, including Cordova and Wrangell.
The long-term lease agreements announced last week will add four 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF) aircrafts to the airline’s dedicated cargo fleet, increasing the carrier’s 737 freighter fleet from five to nine planes.
The freighters, dedicated to Alaska and Hawai’i, are expected to be in service in the first half of 2027.
“Additional freighters serving Alaska, particularly Cordova and Wrangell, will improve the reliability of shipping and delivering the products local businesses and residents depend on every day,” said Tim Thompson, Alaska Airlines director of public relations and community marketing.
The addition of four new 737-800 freighters will nearly double Alaska Air Cargo’s lift capacity. It will also inject more reliability into cargo service for communities and provide more flexibility in aircraft allocation across the airline’s cargo network.
The added capacity in Hawaii is also expected to benefit e-commerce and logistics industries by giving businesses increased reliability in moving goods, airline officials said.
“Alaska Air Cargo has two very important goals: supporting our communities and customers and connecting them to the world,” said Ian Morgan, vice president of cargo for the airline. “Expanding our cargo fleet with dedicated aircraft helps us accomplish both goals, opening up new international shipping opportunities for seafood and other commodities, while making sure we can reliably ship time-sensitive goods that our communities need, such as medicine, household supplies and groceries.”
As part of the Alaska Accelerate strategic plan, cargo is poised to deliver $150 million of new annual profit as cargo operations of Alaska and Hawaiian are integrated and expanded internationally out of Seattle, airline officials said. The additional four 737-800 freighters represent a continued investment in fast, reliable shipping, while positioning the airline’s cargo business for future growth, airline officials said.
Now that The Cordova Times has transitioned to an online publication, we’re committed to delivering vital local news through our digital offerings. Subscribe to our free email newsletter here.
