Officials at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport are forecasting a busy summer, as several major airlines are increasing seating capacity and service into Alaska’s biggest city.
The forecast comes in the wake of 4.5 percent growth in the number of flight passengers in the summer of 2018, which airport manager Jim Szczesniak said he expects to continue. The projection is for a 6percemt increase in aircraft seat capacity, for am additional 68,000 passenger seats from the 2018 summer season, mostly filled by tourists.
Alaska Airlines officials said they are increasing capacity between Anchorage and Seattle, while United Airlines is boosting service from New York from once a week to daily flights.
American Airlines is adding flights from Dallas aboard a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, and from Phoenix, a new airbus 321neo aircraft.
Air Canada is boosting flight frequency between Anchorage and Vancouver from daily to twice-daily service and extending their season by two weeks, to operate through mid-September.
JetBlue is returning, along with Condor and Iceland Air. Delta is adding additional flights from its Salt Lake City hub, and Sun Country is offering nonstop flights to Las Vegas.
In addition, Las Vegas based Allegiant Airlines has added service between Anchorage and Bellingham, Wash.
