Northern Pacific Airways to Provide Affordable Flights to Asia

A new U.S. airline aspiring to be the “Icelandair of the Pacific” is set to launch later this year, offering fares at least 20% lower than typical flights between the U.S. and East Asia.

Rather than Reykjavík, Northern Pacific Airways will operate from Alaska, utilizing an underused terminal at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, with a fleet of up to twelve Boeing 757 aircraft servicing both the lower 48 states and destinations in Japan and South Korea.

The inaugural aircraft was revealed at a ceremony in an airport hangar in San Bernardino, California, where the startup's executives shared insights into their distinctly unconventional approach.

Northern Pacific CEO Rob McKinney told Dinogo that although many dismiss his business model as “crazy,” he believes “it’s an excellent time to launch an airline.”

In light of—or perhaps due to—the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, “we can leverage improved access to aircraft and airports” that may become limited once the current crisis subsides.

Regarding the fact that the Asian destinations Northern Pacific plans to serve are still largely closed to most U.S. leisure travelers because of pandemic measures, McKinney expressed his “optimism” that by the time the airline takes flight, we’ll be well beyond the pandemic’s peak and that restrictions will have loosened.

The goal is to replicate the Icelandair model by attracting travelers with low fares and stopovers in Alaska to break up their journey. For domestic routes, Northern Pacific is exploring flights from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York, and Orlando, while in Asia, it's looking at Seoul, South Korea, along with Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka in Japan. The international flights are expected to last around seven to eight hours, aligning with the range of the narrow-body 757, an aircraft other airlines have used for shorter transatlantic routes.

The Northern Pacific aircraft will feature 180 seats across three classes—twelve in business class, plus premium economy and economy options.

The airline has recently submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Transportation for ticket sales, aiming to commence operations in the third or fourth quarter of 2022, according to McKinney. It bypasses the extensive certification process required for a brand-new airline as it operates under the established airline Ravn Alaska, where McKinney also serves as CEO after acquiring the regional carrier from bankruptcy in 2020. Ravn provides regional turbo-prop flights throughout Alaska and will collaborate with its sister airline to give layover passengers opportunities to explore more of the state.

Naturally, the pressing question for any new venture is: will it thrive?

“Unfortunately, history indicates that airline startups face significant challenges,” remarked Henry Harteveldt, founder and analyst at Atmosphere Research. However, he added that the entrance of fresh and innovative companies will foster competition and benefit consumers. Travelers can anticipate more new players as the travel industry recovers.

“Nature detests a vacuum, and so do airline entrepreneurs,” he humorously noted.