SEATTLE, Nov. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska
Airlines' sister carrier, Horizon Air, has received approval from
the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to begin using its
proprietary Required Navigation Performance (RNP) instrument
approach procedure at Friedman Memorial Airport near
Sun Valley. The procedure is
expected to reduce weather-related diversions by 95 percent
allowing Horizon to have the best access to Sun Valley of any airline. It is projected to
reduce diversions for Horizon from an average of 40 to 50 per year
down to one to two estimated diversions per year.
RNP technology allows aircraft to follow precise
three-dimensional curved flight paths through difficult terrain
using a combination of onboard navigation technology and the Global
Positioning System (GPS) satellite network. It allows aircraft to
fly safer flight paths, provides more reliable landings, and
eliminates reliance on ground-based navigation aids. This enables
pilots to navigate aircraft more precisely and efficiently, while
also being able to fly to lower altitudes in to airports where
limited visibility upon approach is common due to weather and
characteristics of the terrain.
"Friedman Memorial Airport is located deep in a valley with
surrounding mountain peaks. As a result, instrument approaches used
by pilots are often hampered by low cloud ceiling and extensive
visibility requirements, resulting in a higher than average
percentage of flight cancellations or diversions," said
Cody Hargreaves, RNP engineer at
Alaska Airlines who was integral in the approval and implementation
of this approach. "The RNP approach Horizon uses will increase
safety in this challenging environment and will drastically reduce
the number of diversions."
This effort, which has been in development for more than 10
years, will allow Horizon to deliver more reliable service for its
valued customers. Additionally, the company expects to save up to
$600,000 a year by completing flights
that would have would have otherwise been diverted or cancelled due
to weather. Alaska and Horizon Air
are the only major U.S. carriers with a fully RNP-equipped fleet
and fully-trained flight crews.
"Just in time for the ski season and holiday travel, the
expected improvement in reliability this brings to our airport
during inclement weather will greatly benefit our customers
traveling to the area as well as local residents," said
Chris Pomeroy, airport manager at
Friedman Memorial Airport. "This is a fantastic complement to the
other recent facility improvements, including our newly renovated
passenger terminal and new concessions."
Horizon's seasonal service from Seattle to Sun
Valley, Idaho will resume Nov.
23, just in time for the 81st winter season
opening at the ski resort on Thanksgiving
Day. Beginning Dec. 16,
Horizon Air will inaugurate daily direct service from Los Angeles, and will begin twice weekly
direct service from Portland,
Oregon on Dec. 17.
Since 1996, Alaska has been
using similar RNP approach procedures across 65 percent of the
airports it serves in the state of Alaska, as well as San Diego; Pullman,
Washington; Palm Springs,
California; and later this month in Mammoth Lakes, California.
Alaska Airlines, together with its regional partners, flies 32
million customers a year to more than 110 cities with an average of
970 daily flights throughout the United
States, Canada,
Costa Rica, Mexico and soon Cuba. With Alaska's global airline partners, customers
can earn and redeem miles to more than 800 destinations worldwide.
Onboard, customers are invited to make the most of their flight
with amenities like power outlets at every seat, streaming
entertainment direct to their device, Wi-Fi and an inspired food
and beverage selection featured on most flights. Alaska Airlines
ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers
in North America" in the J.D.
Power North American Airline Satisfaction Study for nine
consecutive years from 2008 to 2016. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
also ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Airline Loyalty
Rewards Programs" in the J.D. Power Airline Loyalty/Rewards Program
Satisfaction Report for the last three consecutive years. Alaska
Airlines is a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK). Learn
more on the airline's newsroom, blog, alaskaair.com, @AlaskaAir,
facebook.com/alaskaairlines and
linkedin.com/company/alaska-airlines.
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SOURCE Alaska Airlines