Alaska Airlines Offers Customers Convenience of a Cashless Cabin

SEATTLE, July 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Passengers on Alaska Airlines flights soon will no longer need to hunt for cash to pay for onboard purchases. Starting Aug. 5, Alaska Airlines will offer the convenience of using any major credit or debit card for all inflight purchases, and will no longer accept cash onboard.

As a bonus, customers using the Alaska Airlines Visa card issued by Bank of America will earn 10 miles for every dollar spent onboard through Oct. 31, 2008.

"The dash for cash is over at Alaska Airlines. No longer will our customers and flight attendants need to hunt for dollars to pay for purchases or make change," said Steve Jarvis, Alaska Airlines' vice president of marketing, sales and customer experience. "A quick swipe of a credit or debit card will be all that's needed to pay for our Northern Bites meals, Picnic Packs, cocktails, beer, wine and digEplayers. This will be a real convenience for our customers and crew members."

Alaska Airlines will continue to offer a wide variety of complimentary snacks, soft drinks, tea and freshly brewed Seattle's Best coffee.

Flight attendants will use a hand-held device from Toronto-based GuestLogix Inc. to charge credit and debit cards. The airline has been using the point-of-sale devices on its transcontinental routes for more than a year.

"We understand that not all Alaska residents have a credit or debit card," said Bill MacKay, Alaska Airlines' senior vice president for the state of Alaska. "For a limited time, Alaskans may buy $5 vouchers at our ticket counters in the state to pay for onboard purchases."

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air together serve 94 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. For reservations, visit alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at alaskaair.com/newsroom.