Ugh: Alaska Airlines Will Fly 8 Hours From Anchorage To Tokyo On A 737 MAX

Alaska Airlines is going to fly a Boeing 737 MAX 8 from Anchorage to Tokyo. The flight is scheduled for 8 hours and 15 minutes, and even passengers buying first class will spend the trip in a mediocre recliner. That’s a long time in an Alaska Airlines seat, though I’ve flown DC to Seattle and onto Hawaii and back in the old days when you could use one of their $99 companion tickets for first class. It wasn’t a great product, but it was a great deal. Similarly, if yo uactually have to fly between Alaska and Japan, the schedule makes the narrowbody worthwhile whether in coach or first. Connecting in Anchorage – the old Northern Pacific plan that failed – seems insane. Though with Alaska also adding summer seasonal Saturday Austin – Anchorage I can fly one-stop from my home airport to Tokyo on 737 MAXs. I… do not plan to do this. Anchorage – Tokyo Narita Starts May 13 Alaska has announced the service. Alaska Airlines 21: Anchorage 2:10 p.m. – Tokyo Narita 3:25 p.m. the next day. Scheduled time: 8 hours, 15 minutes. Alaska Airlines 22: Tokyo Narita 9:45 p.m. – Anchorage noon the same day. Scheduled time: 7 hours, 15 minutes. Summer service: Daily May 13 through September 7, 2027 from Anchorage; May 14 through September 8 from Tokyo. Winter service: Three flights per week beginning January 2028, following a fall break. They’re promoting an introductory coach fare of $999 roundtrip for Anchorage-originating travel May 13 through June 7, 2027, purchased by October 31. Northwest Airlines last flew the route in 1999, as flagged by Enilria. China Airlines served Taipei until 2011. There Are Even Longer 737 Flights Anchorage–Tokyo is a long flight on a 737, but this isn’t the longest: Route Airline Distance Orlando–Brasília GOL 3,780 Santo Domingo–Buenos Aires Arajet 3,750 Punta Cana–Buenos Aires Arajet 3,740 Seattle–Keflavik Alaska Airlines 3,620 Vancouver–Keflavik Icelandair 3,540 Anchorage–Tokyo Narita Alaska Airlines, announced 3,433 Alaska’s Seattle–Iceland flight is longer than Seattle – Narita. Sas used to fly a special 44-seat Boeing 737-700 operated by PrivatAir between Stavanger and Houston—roughly 4,800 miles. But that was all business class. Northern Pacific Wanted To Do This, But Alaska Starts With Customers Enilria makes the obvious comparison to Northern Pacific, later New Pacific. That airline wanted to connect the mainland United States and Asia through Anchorage with used Boeing 757s. It was supposed to be the Icelandair of the Pacific. I didn’t buy the business plan. They needed passengers to choose a connection from cities that already had nonstop Asia flights. Russian airspace restrictions made this not work. The airline never the Asia network, bounced through other strategies, and eventually shut down. Alaska already has a hub in Anchorage, customers throughout the state, a loyalty program and flights to Tokyo. So there’s some ability to fill seats. People traveling between Anchorage and Japan, including Japanese visitors coming to Alaska for cruises. Passengers from elsewhere in Alaska connecting through Anchorage. Travelers connecting at Narita to other destinations in Asia. Alaska plans to join American’s partnership with Japan Airlines. Some lower 48 passengers choosing Anchorage because of price largely filling excess capacity. The Route Is Subsidized Enilria estimates around $500,000 in airport fee abatements. The Alaska International Airport System’s incentive program provide significant support for new international passenger service including a year of waived landing, inspection, gate, jet bridge, common use, ticket counter and passenger processing fees. The summer schedule has 118 roundtrips. At a nominal 161 seats, that’s nearly 38,000 seats roundtrip. Allocating the estimated subsidy works out to about $13 per offered seat, or $16.45 per passenger at an 80% load factor. It’s Possible To Avoid Russian Airspace Without Too Much Of A Penalty The shortest distance between Anchorage and Tokyo runs close to Russia’s Far East. But a decent flight path can follow the Aleutians and continue over the Pacific south and east of Russian territory into Japan. Anchorage – Shemya – Narita is only about 1% longer than direct. Separately, the 737 MAX is approved for 180-minute ETOPS operations. That makes Cold Bay, Adak, Shemya and airports in Japan relevant and Anchorage, Adak, Shemya, New Chitose and Narita provides a longest diversion of about 108 minutes. Eight Hours In A Domestic Seat Is.. Oof Alaska’s refreshed MAX 8 has 161 seats, including 16 in first class. There are no seatback entertainment screens. Alaska says there will be complimentary hot meals in coach, upgraded dining and Filson bedding and amenity kits in first class. (HT: Enilria) Topics on this page