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Alaska, Hawaiian Airlines CEOs discuss status of $1.9B merger

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Alaska, Hawaiian Airlines CEOs discuss status of .9B merger


HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Executives from Alaska Air and Hawaiian Airlines are sharing more details of their historic $1-point-9 billion merger deal at Chamber of Commerce events across the islands.

Fresh off talk story sessions in Hilo, Kona, and Kahului, the CEOs of Alaska and Hawaiian airlines addressed several questions from Oahu’s business community — many concerning how benefits and the workforce may change.

Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci and Hawaiian Airlines CEO Peter Ingram explained how the combined company will mean more routes, more lounges and more perks — especially for loyal fliers.

“Now you can use those miles on a larger network. Now you’ve chosen what miles on OneWorld and really the strength of that combined loyalty program is going to be really really powerful for our guests from here in Hawaii,” Ingram said.

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“All those cities that Alaska’s network, the vast, vast, vast majority of those we’ll be able go to now,” Ingram added. “All those big cities that we don’t fly to nonstop, those are going to be available with a combined network.”

“Your elite status gets recognized at that level at that highest tier level and you have access to not only Alaska lounges but all 700 OneWorld lounges around the world,” Minicucci said.

Alaska Airlines is part of the OneWorld Alliance of carriers, which includes Japan Airlines and American Airlines.

Alaska said the combined airline will be positioned as a premium carrier to better compete with American, Delta, United and Southwest.

When asked how they plan to merge different reservation systems, technology and staff, executives said they’re still figuring it out.

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While union jobs are protected, Minicucci said they’re working on a process for how to handle non-union jobs.

“It’ll be a big, big operation in Honolulu, where we’ll need everything that’s required here today. Our idea just to be clear is to grow this pie, not to keep it the same,” Minicucci said. “And when you combine both networks, the synergies will allow, like Peter was saying, there will be more opportunity to do more things, so the pie is gonna grow. So we see a big presence here.”

“Now, what exactly does the org structure look like? Most of the operations personnel of course we’ll need. The question is what the back office support will be. Obviously there’s a duplication in both companies. We’re gonna work through that whole process. We’re going to be extremely communicative in terms of what our progress is.”

Minicucci said the Alaska Airlines door plug blowout and recent grounding of Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes will not impact the merger, adding that inspections are being completed and all planes should return to service this week.

The deal is subject to federal approval.

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“The federal authorities have to go through a review process, and that’ll happen over the next six months give or take,” Ingram said. “They’re very focused on the integration planning, what we can’t do is actually integrate, we can’t be combining anything yet.”

Last month, a federal judge blocked JetBlue Airways’ proposed $3.8 billion purchase of budget rival Spirit Airlines after the Justice Department sued to stop the merger.

When asked if that ruling will affect their deal, Alaska and Hawaiian say their situation is different.

Executives said it’s too soon to discuss new routes — like the Philippines or healthcare flights to and from Lanai and Molokai.

For now, they said they’re listening and learning and getting guidance from a new 16-member Advisory Board.

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Some things won’t change, like serving POG juice on Hawaiian flights.

Minicucci said he doesn’t plan to get rid of it, saying “I love POG juice.”

Minicucci and Ingram travel to Kauai next to wrap up their 5-stop listening tour.

Following the Chamber event, the Alaska team met with Hawaiian Airlines employees as part of what Minicucci says are efforts to listen to communities in Hawaii.

He said Alaska will modify its business model to accommodate the needs of the Hawaii market.

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Hawaiian Airlines shareholders are scheduled to vote on the Alaska Airlines acquisition on Feb. 16.



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Yundt Served: Formal Charges Submitted to Alaska Republican Party, Asks for Party Sanction and Censure of Senator Rob Yundt

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Yundt Served: Formal Charges Submitted to Alaska Republican Party, Asks for Party Sanction and Censure of Senator Rob Yundt


Sen. Rob Yundt

On January 3, 2026, Districts 27 and 28 of the Alaska Republican Party received formal charges against Senator Rob Yundt pursuant to Article VII of the Alaska Republican Party Rules.

According to the Alaska Republican Party Rules: “Any candidate or elected official may be sanctioned or censured for any of the following
reasons:
(a) Failure to follow the Party Platform.
(b) Engagement in any activities prohibited by or contrary to these rules or RNC Rules.
(c) Failure to carry out or perform the duties of their office.
(d) Engaging in prohibited discrimination.
(e) Forming a majority caucus in which non-Republicans are at least 1/3 or more of the
coalition.
(f) Engaging in other activities that may be reasonably assessed as bringing dishonor to
the ARP, such as commission of a serious crime.”

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Party Rules require the signatures of at least 3 registered Republican constituents for official charges to be filed. The formal charges were signed by registered Republican voters and District N constitutions Jerad McClure, Thomas W. Oels, Janice M. Norman, and Manda Gershon.

Yundt is charged with “failure to adhere and uphold the Alaska Republican Party Platform” and “engaging in conduct contrary to the principles and priorities of the Alaska Republican Party Rules.” The constituents request: “Senator Rob Yundt be provided proper notice of the charges and a full and fair opportunity to respond; and that, upon a finding by the required two-thirds (2/3) vote of the District Committees that the charges are valid, the Committees impose the maximum sanctions authorized under Article VII.”

If the Party finds Yundt guilty of the charges, Yundt may be disciplined with formal censure by the Alaska Republican Party, declaration of ineligibility for Party endorsement, withdrawal of political support, prohibition from participating in certain Party activities, and official and public declaration that Yundt’s conduct and voting record contradict the Party’s values and priorities.

Reasons for the charges are based on Yundt’s active support of House Bill 57, Senate Bill 113, and Senate Bill 92. Constituents who filed the charges argue that HB 57 opposes the Alaska Republican Party Platform by “expanding government surveillance and dramatically increasing education spending;” that SB 113 opposes the Party’s Platform by “impos[ing] new tax burdens on Alaskan consumers and small businesses;” and that SB 92 opposes the Party by “proposing a targeted 9.2% tax on major private-sector energy producer supplying natural gas to Southcentral Alaska.” Although the filed charges state that SB 92 proposes a 9.2% tax, the bill actually proposes a 9.4% tax on income from oil and gas production and transportation.

Many Alaskan conservatives have expressed frustration with Senator Yundt’s legislative decisions. Some, like Marcy Sowers, consider Yundt more like “a tax-loving social justice warrior” than a conservative.

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Pilot of Alaska flight that lost door plug over Portland sues Boeing, claims company blamed him

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Pilot of Alaska flight that lost door plug over Portland sues Boeing, claims company blamed him


The Alaska Airlines captain who piloted the Boeing 737 Max that lost a door plug over Portland two years ago is suing the plane’s manufacturer, alleging that the company has tried to shift blame to him to shield its own negligence.

The $10 million suit — filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court on Tuesday on behalf of captain Brandon Fisher — stems from the dramatic Jan. 5, 2024 mid-air depressurization of Flight 1282, when a door plug in the 26th row flew off six minutes after take off, creating a 2-by-4-foot hole in the plane that forced Fisher and co-pilot Emily Wiprud to perform an emergency landing back at PDX.

None of the 171 passengers or six crew members on board was seriously injured, but some aviation medical experts said that the consequences could have been “catastrophic” had the incident happened at a higher altitude.

Leani Benitez-Cardona, NTSB aerospace engineer, and Matthew Fox, NTSB chief technical advisor for materials, unpacking the door plug Sunday from Alaska Airlines flight 1282, a Boeing 737-9 MAX, in the materials laboratory at NTSB headquarters in Washington, D.C.NTSB

Fisher’s lawsuit is the latest in a series filed against Boeing, including dozens from Flight 1282 passengers. It also names Spirit AeroSystems, a subcontractor that worked on the plane.

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The lawsuit blames the incident on quality control issues with the door plug. It argues that Boeing caught five misinstalled rivets in the panel, and that Spirit employees painted over the rivets instead of reinstalling them correctly. Boeing inspectors caught the discrepancy again, the complaint alleges, but when employees finally reopened the panel to fix the rivets, they didn’t reattach four bolts that secured the door panel.

The complaint’s allegations that Boeing employees failed to secure the bolts is in line with a National Transportation Safety Board investigation that came to the conclusion that the bolts hadn’t been replaced.



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FIRST ALERT: Heavy snow incoming to Southcentral, Southeast, and Southwest Alaska

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FIRST ALERT: Heavy snow incoming to Southcentral, Southeast, and Southwest Alaska


ANCHORAGE, AK (Alaska’s News Source) – A large winter storm is not only bringing heavy snowfall, but warmer temperatures are approaching! The most impacted areas will include Southcentral, Southeast, and Southwest Alaska, with close to a foot of snow accumulation likely through Tuesday afternoon.

Anchorage will receive a trace of snow overnight and into the early morning hours with about 1 to 3 inches of snow by early Monday afternoon. Close to 5 inches of snow will fall across the Kenai Peninsula and Copper River Basin by Monday afternoon before Tuesday morning brings closer to a foot of snow accumulation across the region. Anchorage and Mat-Su snow totals by Tuesday morning will likely reach 8 to 10 inches.

www.alaskasnewssource.com/weather/alerts/

Juneau will most likely get the heaviest rounds of snow from this storm system with close to a foot of snow likely to accumulate by Monday afternoon with even more snow Tuesday morning. Across Southeast, snow total will vary but Sitka and Ketchikan will receive near 3 to 7 inches. Brace for a few days of heavy snowfall with wind gusts up to 30 miles per hour. Rapid snow accumulation will add hazard to roads and rooftops so be vigilant and weather aware.

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Download the free Alaska’s News Source Weather App.

This storm is already making landfall from the Kuskokwim Delta to Bristol Bay. Expect 8 to 16 inches of snow by Monday night as the heaviest rounds will pass over late Monday morning. Wind gusts up to 40 miles per hour will add blizzard-like conditions with reduced visibility. The Aleutian Chain is bracing for high winds as the gusts up to 70 miles per hour are likely tomorrow. Light rain will pass through as a result of residual moisture of the tail-end of this storm.

The Interior will remain mostly dry tomorrow with mostly cloudy skies stretching over the Brooks Range and into the North Slope. Overnight lows are still quite chilly, sitting near 50 and 60 below zero. Coldest temperatures of the season were record Sunday morning at -50 degrees in Fairbanks, being the coldest temperature since February 2024 which was also -50 degrees. Light snow is possible Tuesday, but otherwise, very calm and quiet weather remains across central and northern Alaska.

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24/7 Alaska Weather: Get access to live radar, satellite, weather cameras, current conditions, and the latest weather forecast here. Also available through the Alaska’s News Source streaming app available on Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV.

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