Korea Herald correspondent

SEATTLE — The cabin lights dim to a warm amber. A lantern glows softly beside the seat as a flight attendant pours a chilled glass of sparkling wine. A sliding door closes, and for a moment, the hum of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fades away.

This is Alaska Airlines’ new international business-class suite, which debuted April 25 as part of the carrier’s long-haul rebrand.

The airline introduced the suite on its first long-haul international route, Seattle-Incheon, followed three days later by Seattle-Rome. Service to London begins May 21, with service to Reykjavik, Iceland, launching May 28.

Long known as the West Coast’s hometown carrier, Alaska Airlines is now positioning itself as a global airline, supported by its subsidiary Hawaiian Airlines and the Oneworld Alliance, connecting to more than 900 destinations worldwide.

“Alaska as a brand is new to long-haul, especially trans-Pacific or trans-Atlantic routes. Hawaiian is not,” Alex Judson, managing director of partnerships and international at Alaska Airlines, told The Korea Herald at the airline’s global training center. “Hawaiian has been serving Korea as well as Japan, Australia, New Zealand for many, many years. The beauty of the combination is that we’re leveraging those insights, the learnings, the expertise that the Hawaiian team has as we build this expansion.”

Suite built for sleep

Step into the cabin and the design language is unmistakably Pacific Northwest — muted earth tones, soft textures and a quiet, evergreen restraint. Each suite has a full-flat bed, a sliding privacy door and direct aisle access. An 18-inch HD screen offers more than 1,500 films and TV programs. Headphones from premium audio brand LSTN slip into a discreet stowage compartment alongside a mirror and a custom reusable Path Water bottle.

Two pillows sit on the seat: a wide, plush one for sleeping flat and a smaller pillow that doubles as neck support when upright. The mattress pad, cover and slippers are noticeably more substantial than competing carriers. A wireless charger, individual power ports and an armrest that lifts away round out the practical touches.

The amenity kit leans heavily on West Coast brands. The pouch comes from Filson, made exclusively for Alaska Airlines. Inside are skin care products from Salt & Stone.

Restaurant above Pacific

The food is where the new service tries hardest to set itself apart — and largely succeeds.

Service opens with a cheese and charcuterie platter sourced from Pacific Northwest favorites Beecher’s and Tillamook. The cashews are toasted and savory, the prosciutto restrained in salt, the dried apricots balanced against fresh, snappy grapes.

A cold asparagus soup arrives next, finished with toasted pine nuts. Then a green salad brightened by orange segments and tart green apple. Next came preordered Klingman Farms braised short rib, part of the Chef’s (Tray) Table menu developed with award-winning Seattle chef Brady Ishiwata Williams. Preordering is available through the Alaska Airlines app; the short ribs are popular enough to make planning ahead a necessity. The meat falls apart at the touch of a fork, served alongside Korean rice cakes used to make tteokbokki and topped with a balanced serrano jaew sauce that cuts cleanly through the braise.

Paired with the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Armillary Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 from Napa Valley — a wine rated 4.5 out of 5 on Vivino — the result is, frankly, divine.

The drink list reads like a West Coast cellar tour, anchored by Stag’s Leap and Roederer Champagne, with a curated selection of craft cocktails, beers and Stumptown coffee. For Korean travelers, the airline has added a JUMO mango, yuja and citrus mint soju cocktail, made with premium craft-distilled soju and real juice. It is bright and effervescent — more refreshing than potent — and a smart nod to the Incheon route.

Dessert is the showpiece. Alaska Airlines has wheeled aboard a Salt & Straw sundae cart. Vanilla bean ice cream, visibly speckled with seeds, is plated with the customer’s choice of toppings. An accompaniment of caramel drizzle and confetti cookie crumble was excellent.

“Salt & Straw is a really fantastic Portland-based company. We’ve been partnering with them for many years,” Judson said, referring to the Oregon city in the Pacific Northwest. “Now we can introduce travelers to that brand as well. Every single product you interact with on board has West Coast roots and origins.”

Approaching arrival, a second meal is served with a tart-sweet berry smoothie made from real blended fruit — exactly the right thing after a few hours of sleep.

Tailored Korean experience

One to two Korean-speaking flight attendants are assigned to the suite cabin on the Seattle-Incheon route, a small detail that matters. Korean banchan accompanies a gochujang chicken option among other main entrees, and Alaska Airlines works with chefs in Seoul to refine the menu.

“I love the gochujang that’s served on the meal platter,” Judson said. “We work with local chefs in Seoul to help us design the menu. We have a call center supporting our guests right there locally from Seoul.”

Ground game

Before boarding, business-class passengers are invited to Alaska Airlines’ newest North Satellite Lounge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport — three connected zones built around floor-to-ceiling windows that frame arriving and departing aircraft. There is a full bar, a hot food station, dining tables, lounge chairs and dedicated workspace seating. An indoor fire pit anchors one corner — an unexpectedly cozy touch for a travel hub.

Passengers have access to the lounge and all Oneworld partner lounges. Oneworld Emerald members can use first-class lounges regardless of their booked cabin.

What’s next

Alaska Airlines plans to install Starlink-based high-speed Wi-Fi on its 787-9 Dreamliner fleet later this year, available free to users signed in to the airline’s Atmos Rewards loyalty program. Sign-up, available in multiple languages, opens the service to anyone.

A premium economy cabin is also in development for long-haul routes, including Incheon, with distinct West Coast-sourced amenities to be announced.

Alaska’s broader ambition, Judson said, is to operate 12 long-haul destinations from Seattle by 2030.

“We see ourselves being a global carrier and continuing to serve these amazing areas where we have our hubs,” he said. “Sustainability is really a key factor for Alaska Airlines.”

The airline is working with its Oneworld partners on joint procurement of sustainable aviation fuel, and the 787-9 fleet is among the most fuel-efficient long-haul aircraft flying.

Round-trip business suite fares range from 5.3 million to 7.7 million won ($3,560 to $5,180), depending on whether outbound and return travel fall on weekdays or weekends, before taxes and fuel surcharges.

For Korean travelers, the practical question is whether Alaska Airlines’ new product holds its own against established carriers on the Seoul-Seattle corridor. On the hard product — the suite, the bedding, the food — the answer is yes. The softer details — bilingual cabin crew, a menu that treats Korean food on its own terms and a soju cocktail — suggest Alaska Airlines has studied this market closely.

yoohong@heraldcorp.com

The Arizona Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Thursday, April 30, 2026 results for each game:

Winning Pick 3 numbers

3-8-7

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers

18-20-26-28-32

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Triple Twist numbers

05-07-20-30-34-41

Check Triple Twist payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news and results

What time is the Powerball drawing?

Powerball drawings are at 7:59 p.m. Arizona time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

How much is a Powerball lottery ticket today?

In Arizona, Powerball tickets cost $2 per game, according to the Arizona Lottery.

How to play the Powerball

To play, select five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls, then select one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball.

You can choose your lucky numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick your numbers.

To win, match one of the 9 Ways to Win:

• 5 white balls + 1 red Powerball = Grand prize.
• 5 white balls = $1 million.
• 4 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $50,000.
• 4 white balls = $100.
• 3 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $100.
• 3 white balls = $7.
• 2 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $7.
• 1 white ball + 1 red Powerball = $4.
• 1 red Powerball = $4.

The sunny skies and warmer weather in California are increasing the chance of seeing snakes, and this year, there’s been a big spike in the number of fatal rattlesnake bites in the state.

Rattlesnake deaths are so rare that in most years, there aren’t any in California. But so far this year, two people in southern California have been killed by rattlesnake bites, and a third victim was fatally bitten in Mendocino County.

Now, some snake experts are warning people about getting too close to these creatures.

Michael Starkey, executive director of the nonprofit group Save the Snakes, said the warmer weather is bringing rattlers, gopher snakes, and other native species out of their winter slumber, where they are coming in contact with people.

“Around the Sacramento area, we can find them along the American River Parkway, El Dorado Hills, anywhere where there’s big patches of open land,” Starkey said. “A snake like a gopher snake, you could find them in some parks in the city of Sacramento.”

Peter Henry has had some close encounters with rattlesnakes while walking along the bike trail in Rancho Cordova. He said they came out a lot earlier than in past years.

“Mid-February is the first time I saw one out on the trail this year,” Henry said.

Other people, like Gary Johnston, who frequent the American River Parkway say snakes are a common sight.

“I’ve actually had one lunge at me,” Johnston said. “It was in some flora, a bush that I couldn’t see. It was coiled up.”

What should you do if you come across a snake?

“Stopping and giving the snake space is the best thing you can do to make sure everyone is safe, you and the snake,” Starkey said.

Starkey said encounters are growing in places where new homes are being built on top of snake habitat areas. He said they’re an important part of the ecosystem, and he asks people to call a professional snake wrangler instead of killing them if they are found on people’s property.

“It’s just another reminder that we need to practice coexistence with wildlife, give snakes space and be aware when we enjoy nature,” Starkey said. “That’s their home too.”

If you have questions about snakes or want to see some in person, the 5th annual Sacramento Snake Festival is taking place this Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. at Hagan Community Park in Rancho Cordova.