Things in the Sky

Alaska filed an 8-K yesterday, and it had some interesting statistics. First, mainline RASM for January and February was up 1.3% (compared to the same period in 2008) to 10.37¢ and PRASM was up 0.6% to 9.41¢.  The disappointing RASM numbers from US Airways and Continental were for March, so it will be interesting to see how Alaska’s performance compares. Still, at this point, I’m happy to see any RASM number that shows growth, no matter how small.

The advanced booked load factors don’t look fantastic, though, as those are down 3, 5, and 6 points for April, May, and June, respectively. While I don’t know for sure, I wouldn’t be surprised if June’s decline can be traced back to a decrease in leisure travel. It makes sense to me, as some might just drop the idea of paying for a vacation this year. Or, after reading this Wall Street Journal article, I think that some travelers might be holding off to book for awhile in hopes of grabbing a deal.

Meanwhile, Alaska announced that it would begin flying from Bellingham to Las Vegas three times a week. The route is notable for a couple of reasons. First, this marks the return of Alaska mainline service to Bellingham, which only has Horizon flights to Seattle. Second, Alaska will be competing head-to-head with Allegiant on the route. It will be interesting to see what happens. Service starts June 25, and travelers can earn double miles from June 25 to August 30. More details on the promotion can be found here.