Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines has announced an upcoming nonstop service between Seattle, Washington, and South Korea’s capital city, Seoul, on Hawaiian Airlines.

A Hawaiian Airlines flight bound for Honolulu was forced to return to the Seattle airport shortly after takeoff due to fumes in the cockpit.

New Hawaiian Airlines CEO Joe Sprague will lead the carrier as it becomes part of Alaska Air Group, which completed its purchase of Hawaiian for $1 billion last week. Alaska is also assuming about $900 million in Hawaiian debt. Sprague spoke with The Conversation about upcoming changes for employees and customers.

Nonunion employees will learn, as soon as Friday, whether their positions will be retained through the company’s merger with Alaska Airlines. Union employees, such as pilots and flight attendants, will not be impacted but will begin a process of re-negotiating contracts. HPR's Ashley Mizuo reports.

Alaska Airlines closed its $1 billion purchase of Hawaiian Airlines on Wednesday, a day after the federal government removed the last major regulatory obstacle to the deal.

The Transportation Department said Tuesday that as a condition, the airlines are promising to maintain some current service, including routes between Hawaiʻi and the mainland U.S. where they don't have much competition.

The U.S. Department of Justice will not challenge the proposed acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines by Alaska Airlines for $1.9 billion. The Conversation spoke to Reuben Miller, the executive editor of investor news service CTFN, to learn more.

Alaska Air is one step closer to acquiring Hawaiian Airlines after the U.S. Department of Justice chose not to challenge the $1.9 billion deal that the carriers say will create a company better able to serve travelers.

The federal government has 10 days past the previous deadline of Aug. 5 to decide whether it will allow or oppose the merger of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines.

Alaska Airlines is offering more than 3,000 free flights to those impacted by the Maui fires last August. The Maui CARE Flights program is a collaboration between the airline, Gov. Josh Green, Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement.