The ‘New’ Alaska Airlines Looks a Lot Like Virgin America

There’s been a lot of bemoaning the loss of Virgin America ever since the trendsetting (and seriously beloved) domestic airline was bought by Alaska Airlines. What would happen to that purple mood lighting? The decent mid-air cocktails? The Wi-Fi that wasn’t awful?! Even Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson refused to give up on his baby. “People love Virgin with a passion that hasn’t existed since the early days of aviation," he told us back in 2016, when this whole merger became very real, "and I am certainly not going to let it go to waste."

 

But let me be so bold as to say: Alaska was as great as Virgin America—and this new hybrid has the potential to be one of the best airlines in the country. Seattle-based Alaska was never as high-profile; it didn’t have as many California routes as San Francisco-based Virgin America, or the megawatt founder to help with PR. But for those who lived in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, it was a godsend—an airline much like JetBlue or Virgin that felt familial, with friendly staff, great amenities (leather seats in economy!

microbrews and Tom Douglas meals onboard!), and a guarantee that you would get your luggage within 20 minutes of your plane arriving at the gate. Alaska would pay you if you didn’t.So what happens when the cool kid of the skies hooks up with the straight-A student? You get a straight-A student who’s now dressing a little more punk rock and cracking open a beer in the parking lot. In an email last week to its frequent fliers, Alaska announced some changes coming in the next two years—to start, a refresh of its Boeing airplanes with "blue mood lighting" and music that "celebrates its West Coast roots" (a little Macklemore, perhaps?). The 73 Airbus planes it inherited from Virgin will also get new seats, carpet, and lighting; more first class seats; and the rollout of premium class, though timing is still up in the air. High-speed satellite Wi-Fi will be added to all of its Boeing and Airbus planes starting in March. You’ll still get free texting, 200 free movies and TV shows to watch on your device (no seat-back TVs here), and decent in-flight snacks, wine, and beer—the kind you would still try if you weren’t held captive in the sky.