Hi, I'm Ben Minicucci, president of Alaska Airlines. I am so proud to have been here
for 16 years. I come to you today from SeaTac Airport, and on behalf of our amazing 23,000
employees, we miss you. This crisis has touched everyone around us
in some way - those impacted directly by illness, the absence of personal connections with family
and friends, or business owners making hard decisions.
Our priorities are one, keep you safe if you're flying, two, keep our employees safe and supported,
and three, be here for employees, guests and communities for years to come.
For us, it is hard to see this airport, and all the airports we fly to, so empty. But
we agree with the experts - limiting travel is the right thing to do. The sooner we can
flatten this curve, the sooner our lives return to normal - and that means welcoming you onboard
a next Alaska Airlines flight. Thanks to leadership in Washington D.C., the
federal grants and loans cover 70 percent of our payroll costs through September.
We are welcoming those needing to travel, including many essential workers in the medical
field that are critical to helping get the ill on the road to recovery.
We're moving a lot of COVID-19 related supplies including, masks, personal protective equipment
and test kits. And we will be delivering over a hundred thousand snack packs from Barrow
to the Bay to the East Coast for kids and those in need.
Safety has and always will be our number one priority and we are setting new standards
around cleanliness, social distancing, and requirements on the use of masks. How we best
care for our guests and employees is paramount, and we are taking our efforts to the next
level of care. Every time you board an airplane, you can
be assured it has been thoroughly cleaned. We will be expanding our enhanced cleaning
efforts permanently on all critical touch points. And will be expanding electrostatic
spraying with a safe, high grade disinfectant, similar to what's used in hospitals.
Here at SeaTac, we have installed decals on the floor that help all of you be mindful
of social distancing while navigating throughout the airport - from check-in to boarding. You
will begin seeing the decals at airports throughout our network.
Effective May 4th, we have made it mandatory for all our guest-facing employees to wear
masks while working closely with each other and all of you. And beginning May 11th, for
your safety, we will require all guests to wear a mask while at the airport and onboard.
Everything we are doing is designed with your safety and the safety of our employees in
mind. Ultimately, we'll get through this together.
The people of Alaska Airlines have faced challenges before and come out stronger. We have always
been resilient and together with you we will re-imagine our future.
From my early days in Maintenance, to being Chief Operating Officer for almost 12 years,
I can tell you that safety really is core to who we are.
But there are two other important values that are really, really important to us.
Be Kind Hearted, and Do the Right Thing. Our employees miss seeing you at the airport
and on-board, and being able to live those values with all of you every day. So rather
than me close, I thought I'd let a few of our amazing people say hello. Thank you and be safe.
Hello ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to
Alaska Airlines. We're ready to board whenever you are. Let's go!
One thing's for sure, two things for certain: Here at Alaska Airlines we are family, but
our family is not complete without you.
We love our Alaska family!
We care a lot about you. And because we care a lot about you we've been taking care of
these planes to make sure that travel is going to be seamless and safe when you get back.
Do you remember that time when you bought a fruit and cheese from me, and you paired
it with a Coke? We have a lot of great memories, don't we? Come back, we'll make some more!
Thank you to our guests, caregivers, and all essential businesses during this difficult time.
We are all in this together, and we hope to see you soon!
Whenever you're ready, let's go fly!
We can't wait to welcome you aboard again.
So when you're ready, pack your bags and come fly with us!