By Staff
Northwest Asian Weekly
From left: Hou Wei, Gary Locke and Andrew Harrison open the cookie. The fortune reads, “Clear skies, a prosperous future and many happy customers ahead for Alaska Airlines and Hainan Airlines! Wishing you good fortune on your partnership!” (Photo by George Liu/NWAW)
Gary Locke, former Washington state governor, broke a big fortune cookie and wished Alaska Airlines and Hainan Airlines a prosperous future at a reception in Chinatown on Oct. 20, celebrating a win-win for their collaboration and especially for customers.
Alaska Airlines is joining with China-based carrier Hainan Airlines to enhance its Mileage Plan. Hainan Airlines operates a fleet to more than 90 destinations throughout the world. From Seattle, Hainan flies nonstop to Beijing and Shanghai, and offers service throughout China.
Hainan also flies from San Jose, Calif., to Beijing.
Members of Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan and Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings Club were able to start earning miles on July 23.
“Alaska is expanding its international partner portfolio with the addition of Hainan, giving our Mileage Plan members more ways to earn miles for their travel from the West coast to Shanghai and Beijing and on connecting flights within China,” said Andrew Harrison, Alaska Airlines executive vice president and chief revenue officer. “Hainan offers business and main cabin service with distinctly Chinese touches such as traditional tea service, which will appeal to our culture-savvy Northwest customers.”
Hainan offers business class passengers 180-degree flat seats with turndown service, and gourmet Chinese cuisine on trans-Pacific flights. Business class passengers also receive complementary private limo service both at U.S. and China gateway cities.
Harrison added that Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members will be able to redeem miles on Hainan later this year, and that Alaska and Hainan will continue to enhance their partnership by recognizing and extending elite reciprocal benefits to members of Mileage Plan and Fortune Wings Club. Earned flight miles on Hainan currently qualify toward elite status in the Mileage Plan.
“Seattle was Hainan’s first North American gateway, opened in 2008, and since then we have carried hundreds of thousands of people between the U.S. and China,” said Hou Wei, Hainan Airlines vice president, who flew in from China for the celebration. “We have long connected passengers to and from Alaska Airlines and are excited to be able to offer members of Alaska’s Mileage Plan the ability to earn miles on Hainan. Hainan’s Fortune Wings Club members will also be able to earn miles on Alaska Airlines flights.”
Hou said he hopes one day that the partnership can grow to the stage that both airlines can code-share their systems: Alaska would have its code in the Hainan system and vice versa. Alaska said it has already increased by 200 customers a day since the collaboration this summer.
Held at the Wing Luke Asian Museum, the reception was attended by approximately 200 guests. Nyhus Communications, who selected the site for the celebration, said the Wing Luke Asian Museum is a national treasure, symbolizing the greater part of the Asian community. (end)
Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.