Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines Reach Major Integration Milestone: a Single Operating Certificate

Rhea-AI Summary

Alaska Air Group (NYSE:ALK) announced that on Oct 29, 2025 the Federal Aviation Administration issued a single operating certificate (SOC) allowing Alaska and Hawaiian to operate as two brands under one FAA certificate. The SOC follows a year-long integration of training, policies and manuals and enables a single call sign (AS), joint operational processes, and planned system consolidations.

Key near-term steps: some Hawaiian flight numbers were reassigned to avoid duplication; a single passenger service system (PSS) transition is planned for April 2026; several Honolulu leadership roles take effect today, including Diana Birkett Rakow as CEO of Hawaiian Airlines.

Positive

• FAA SOC received on Oct 29, 2025
• Single call sign AS implemented for combined operations
• Single passenger service system planned for April 2026
• Diana Birkett Rakow named CEO of Hawaiian Airlines effective today

Negative

• Hawaiian flight numbers reassigned, risking customer confusion
• Operational consolidation may require retraining and schedule adjustments across both brands

Insights

Airline Operations Strategist

FAA issued a single operating certificate allowing Alaska and Hawaiian to operate under one regulatory certificate while keeping separate brands.

The single operating certificate (SOC) from the Federal Aviation Administration formalizes harmonized training, policies, procedures and manuals and lets the combined group use a single call sign (AS) behind the scenes while preserving distinct guest-facing brands. This reduces duplicated regulatory overhead and enables centralized operational control across flying, dispatch and maintenance functions.

Operational dependencies include the timing and execution of the planned single passenger service system in April and the assignment of new Hawaiian flight numbers where duplication existed; these tasks carry customer-facing risk if poorly communicated. Watch the April PSS transition and how quickly schedules, dispatch and maintenance routines stabilize; those milestones will show whether the SOC translates into smoother cross-brand operations within the next 6–12 months.

Labor and Integration Analyst

SOC enables deeper integration steps including crew, airport and maintenance alignment and formalized Honolulu leadership changes.

With the SOC in place, the organization can proceed with joint collective bargaining approaches and integrate flight crew, airport and maintenance teams under unified agreements, which changes negotiating scope and operational labor structures. The announcement of Honolulu leadership appointments and the retirement of Joe Sprague sets formal governance for Hawai'i operations and clarifies accountability during integration.

Key risks include labor negotiations and the pace of system integration; outcomes depend on collective bargaining timelines and execution of the single PSS in April. Monitor progress on joint bargaining, any announced timelines for schedule consolidation, and customer-impact metrics (on-time performance, crew availability) over the next 12 months to assess whether operational benefits materialize or friction emerges.

SEATTLE, Oct. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Airlines today received a single operating certificate (SOC) from the Federal Aviation Administration to operate alongside Hawaiian Airlines as two separate brands. This significant milestone – a FAA regulatory requirement achieved just over a year after Alaska and Hawaiian combined – marks the successful integration of training, policies, procedures and manuals across both airlines. 

"Congratulations to everyone at Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines for getting us to a single operating certificate. This was a year-long, multi-phase effort involving multiple departments and thousands of hours of work," said Ben Minicucci, president and CEO of Alaska Air Group. "We also appreciate the FAA and the U.S. Department of Transportation for their guidance and support as we carefully reviewed and harmonized our processes with a shared focus on safety. This is an important step in our journey as a combined organization, and I'm excited about our future together." 

Here's what our guests need to know: 

• While Alaska and Hawaiian airlines are now operating under a single call sign (AS) – which our pilots and dispatchers use behind the scenes to communicate with air traffic control – guests will continue to enjoy our distinct Alaska and Hawaiian brand experiences, brought to life by our remarkable employees, along with the reach of our expanding joint global network, and the industry-leading benefits of our Atmos™ Rewards loyalty program.
  
  
• There is one visible change for our guests: while Hawaiian Airlines flights will show the HA designator, new flight numbers may be assigned to avoid duplication between our brands. Where practical, we attempted to maintain similar flight numbers, but in many cases, we had to assign completely new flight numbers. If you are a frequent Hawaiian Airlines flyer who has memorized a regular or favorite flight, please take note.
  
  
• A SOC paves the way for other, ongoing integration initiatives, including combining scheduling and passenger service systems to improve the experience of our guests traveling across both brands, and integrating our flight crew, airport and maintenance teams under joint collective bargaining agreements.
  
  
• Next spring, guests can look forward to an even more streamlined travel experience when Alaska and Hawaiian move to a single passenger service system, or PSS. A PSS is the main technology powering the systems that our guests – on Alaska and Hawaiian – will interact with when planning their trips, booking tickets and on the day of travel. Once we transition to a single PSS in April, all flights will carry the AS code, but travelers will continue to be able to view and book Hawaiian Airlines flights and experience the distinct Hawaiian Airlines brand and the ho'okipa (hospitality) of our people throughout their journey. Hawaiian flights will be clearly branded across our digital channels with an image of our Pualani aircraft tail. 

With a single operating certificate, several Honolulu-based leadership positions formally take effect today to support the Hawaiian Airlines brand and the combined organization's operations to, from and within Hawai'i. Diana Birkett Rakow, executive vice president of public affairs and sustainability at Alaska Airlines, becomes CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, succeeding Joe Sprague, who is retiring after a distinguished career with Alaska Air Group. Jim Landers, Hawaiian Airlines senior vice president for technical operations, assumes the role of head of Hawai'i operations, while Shelly Parker, Horizon Air's vice president of station operations and inflight, becomes head of Hawai'i guest operations. They will serve alongside other members of the Honolulu leadership team. 

About Alaska Air Group

Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, and McGee Air Services is a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines. We are a global airline with hubs in Seattle, Honolulu, Portland, Anchorage, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. We deliver remarkable care as we fly our guests to more than 140 destinations throughout North America, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific. We'll serve Europe beginning in spring 2026. Guests can book travel at alaskaair.com and hawaiianairlines.com. Alaska is a member of the oneworld alliance, with Hawaiian scheduled to join oneworld in spring 2026. With oneworld and our additional global partners, guests can earn and redeem points for travel to over 1,000 worldwide destinations with Atmos Rewards. Learn more about what's happening at Alaska and Hawaiian at news.alaskaair.com. Alaska Air Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as "ALK."

 

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SOURCE Alaska Airlines

FAQ

What does the FAA single operating certificate issued to Alaska Air Group (ALK) on Oct 29, 2025 mean for passengers?

It authorizes Alaska and Hawaiian to operate under one FAA certificate while keeping separate brand experiences; some Hawaiian flight numbers were reassigned and operations use the AS call sign.

When will Alaska and Hawaiian switch to a single passenger service system under ALK?

The companies plan to transition to a single PSS in April 2026, after which all flights will carry the AS code and Hawaiian branding will remain visible.

Will Hawaiian Airlines still use its brand after Alaska Air Group (ALK) received the SOC?

Yes; Hawaiian will continue as a distinct brand with Pualani tail branding and the Hawaiian guest experience, despite operating under a shared FAA certificate.

Are there leadership changes at Hawaiian after the ALK integration on Oct 29, 2025?

Yes; Diana Birkett Rakow becomes CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, Jim Landers becomes head of Hawai'i operations, and Shelly Parker becomes head of Hawai'i guest operations.

How will the single operating certificate affect flight numbers for Hawaiian Airlines passengers?

To avoid number duplication, some Hawaiian flights have new numbers; frequent travelers should check bookings if they rely on memorized flight numbers.