ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Coming soon to Juneau-area roads; a trio of festively-named snowplows!

After hundreds of suggested names were entered in its annual naming contest, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities announced Monday that it had narrowed its search down to three winning names for three of its snowplows.

The winning names were Berminator, Salt-O-Saurus Rex, and Ka-PLOW.

The names were chosen by DOT staff who felt they were most appropriate and represented Alaska the best, according to Eli Kesten-Brackett, a project assistant with the department.

“Since they move in formation, [DOT] thought it’d be cool to have them all named as a unit,” Kesten-Brackett said.

The Name-A-Snowplow contest that ended on Nov. 28 saw over 400 individual entries from residents around the state.

Kesten-Brackett said after noticing the popularity of similar contests in other snow-laden states in the Lower 48, the state thought a way to get people’s creative juices flowing was what Alaska needed.

“We thought this would be an awesome way to foster community engagement,” Kesten-Brackett said.

The winning name in the inaugural contest last year was Darth Blader, according to Kesten-Brackett.

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Alaska Air announced its acquisition of Hawaiian Air almost exactly one year ago. Since the deal closed in September, the airlines have kept up an admirably brisk integration schedule – it’s now possible to freely transfer miles between both programs, book Hawaiian awards with Alaska miles and earn elite-qualifying miles in both programs.

Alaska has told us that it expects both airlines’ elite programs to merge sometime in Summer of 2025. However, it’s now possible to match elite statuses between both programs online, allowing both Alaska Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles elite members to receive benefits regardless of which airline they’re flying.

How to match your Alaska / Hawaiian elite status

1. Visit this link. You’ll have to log-in using your Alaska Mileage Plan number

2. Using the form provided, sign-in with your HawaiianMiles info. If you don’t already have a HawaiianMiles account, create one using the link provided.

3. You should instantly reach a “match successful” screen that shows your new Hawaiian (or Alaska) status.

Which status will I receive?

You will receive matched status based on either your 2023 activity/current status OR your combined EQMs from both programs in 2024, whichever is higher.

If you’re matched by 2023 activity, or current status, it will be according to the chart below:

If you’re matched according to combined EQMs between both programs in 2024, it will be according to this chart:

Terms and Conditions

• Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles members who link their accounts will be eligible for a status match.
• We will either match your existing elite status in either program or award status in both programs based on your combined elite-qualifying miles (EQMs), whichever is higher.
• Please allow up to 72 hours for status to be reflected in your account after linking.
• Guests currently participating in a status match or fast track challenge are not eligible until they’ve completed the requirements for their challenge.

Members will receive status in both programs as follows:

• For status matched based on 2023 activity, status matched into Mileage Plan will be valid through December 31, 2024 and status matched into HawaiianMiles will be valid through February 28, 2025.
• For status matched based on 2024 activity, status matched into Mileage Plan will be valid through December 31, 2025 and status matched into HawaiianMiles will be valid through February 28, 2026. If Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles programs are combined into a single program prior to the end of 2025, equivalent status will be granted in the successor program through December 31, 2025.
• For status matched based on 2025 activity, status matched into Mileage Plan will be valid through December 31, 2026 and status matched into HawaiianMiles will be valid through February 28, 2027. If Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles programs are combined into a single program prior to the end of 2026, equivalent status will be granted in the successor program through December 31, 2026.

Quick Thoughts

Once again, I’m extremely impressed with how efficiently Alaska is managing this merger with Hawaiian. We’re barely three months past the close date and we already have reciprocal transfers, mileage earning and redeeming and now status matching. Both programs should be fully-integrated less than 12 months after the merger close.

You can see a full breakdown of Hawaiian elite benefits here and Alaska elite benefits here. As you might expect, Alaska’s benefits are more robust, but Hawaiian status can be good for discounted awards, club access, free checked bags, complimentary upgrades and more. It’s definitely worth doing if you’ll be flying Hawaiian within the next few months.

Note that Hawaiian status reset at the end of February, NOT on January 1 like Alaska. So, even if you have matched status to Alaska that terminates at the end of 2024, you can still squeeze an extra two months of Hawaiian status by matching now.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) -Many of the people arriving to and departing from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport Sunday agreed that Anchorage’s main airport isn’t as tough to navigate as most right now.

On Dec. 22, three days out from both Hanukkah and Christmas, travelers at the airport were lined up, checking in, waiting for baggage, or going through security; all of those, demanding a wait. However, several travelers told Alaska’s News Source about their experiences and what they were expecting during their flights.

Matt Howard departed from Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina around 5 a.m. “It was the busiest I’ve ever seen it,” Howard said. He estimated he touched down in Anchorage around 6 p.m., adding Ted Stevens was much “less frantic” than the other airports he was at, but thought the evening time frame might have been a contributing factor.

Flying in from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, Kimberly Lamar said she visits her mother in Alaska at least once a year.

“It was pretty overwhelming, trying to get through from Atlanta,” she said. “Then I got to Seattle; it was hard to get through to the gates of Seattle. And finally, this is the easiest airport I’ve actually been in all day.”

Born and raised in Alaska, Gideon Mahoney was traveling to Colorado where he recently relocated. “I’m actually really surprised, right now it’s easy and we were a little late, so…” Mahoney said, glancing at the line for security.

Growing up in Alaska, Mahoney said flying into Denver International Airport can be overwhelming at times.

“We’re working on figuring out how to deal with that,” he said. “We’re getting it.”

As for travelers who haven’t left just yet, Lamar’s advice was aligned with a prepared statement from Alaska Airlines: both said arriving early is the key for holiday travels.

“If you’re flying, make sure you leave early because those lines are crucial,” Lamar said.

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