Alaska Airlines to Hawaii?

One of the United States' largest regional carriers, Alaska Airlines has its sights set on inaugurating new long-distance services, possibly to include direct flights to Hawaii.

The airline is moving closer to gaining specific certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly long, isolated routes across vast bodies of water, which would allow it to serve the Islands and destinations in Central America.

Alaska's current certificate does not allow planes to travel more than 50 miles from land, but having recently completed a mock emergency water landing to satisfy the FAA that it was capable of doing so, airline bosses are hopeful of securing the new permissions.

Amanda Tobin Bielawski, a spokeswoman for Alaska, said that if a new certification could be attained, "Hawaii is within the realms of possibility, as are a number of others".

In order to back up its planned expansion into the long-distance market, Alaska has also purchased several new aircraft, including new Boeing 737-800s, which are capable of traveling longer distances and would be better suited to cross-water routes than the carrier's current fleet.

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