Alaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, and Horizon Air, will lay off about 200 workers as financial losses tied to the higher price of jet fuel grow.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser obtained an email sent to employees Friday morning acknowledging the cuts.
“Despite having the right strategy and strong momentum, fuel prices and geopolitical challenges are putting significant financial pressure on our business,” CEO Ben Minicucci wrote. “If current conditions persist, we could lose as much as $700 million this year, which would be our first adjusted pretax loss outside of the pandemic since 2003.”
According to the Star-Advertiser, 125 workers in Washington state will be laid off, and 48 in Hawaii.
The affected employees will be out of a job Nov. 13, but will continue to receive pay through the end of the year.
Alaska’s leadership said no front-line, non-management positions have been affected, suggesting the eliminated jobs are management-related.
Separately, Hawaiian Airlines CEO Diana Birkett Rakow said in an email to staff that, of the 48 affected positions at Hawaiian, 40 roles will be eliminated entirely, and eight people will be be offered other jobs within the airline.
Birkett Rakow also said that two senior leaders – Jim Landers, head of Hawaii operations, and Shelly Parker, head of guest operations – will retire at the end of the year. Both of their positions will be eliminated following their departure.
