The past year brought a steady stream of milestones for the Alaska and Hawaiian Air Cargo teams: New international long-haul service now connects Seattle with Japan and South Korea. Our teams and stations integrated. We expanded cross-country service and widebody capacity. 

But Ian Morgan, Alaska Airlines vice president of cargo, is proudest of something that has not changed in our operation: “We have new products, new destinations and new procedures, and through it all our team has stayed completely focused on our dialogue with customers and creating personalized solutions for them,” Morgan said. “That is our secret sauce and, to me, absolutely remarkable.”

Customers can count on this steadfast commitment to service as our growth continues in 2026. Some milestones coming in the months ahead:

• Our 787-9 widebody aircraft will fly Seattle to London starting in May 2026.Integrated booking system: Our single cargo management system for all customers launches in January, expanding Alaska Air Cargo’s online system to all Hawaiian Air Cargo customers and creating a single system for our employees, further streamlining operations.
• New products: Our premium GoldStreak® Package Express shipping service will soon be available throughout the Hawaiian Islands.
• New global destinations: This spring, we will launch service connecting Seattle (SEA) to London (LHR) and Rome (FCO). 

A few weeks after Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines achieved a single operating certificate from the FAA, Morgan took time to reflect on the accomplishments and challenges of the past year — and to look ahead at the exciting growth on the horizon.

 What are some of the biggest highlights of 2025 for Alaska and Hawaiian Air Cargo?

Alaska and Hawaiian Air Cargo teams co-located operations in Seattle this year.“In a very short space of time, we brought our teams together — Hawaiian Air Cargo and Alaska Air Cargo staff — co-locating at several key airports and preparing for a single cargo operating system. These are two carriers with tremendous legacies. Hawaiian Airlines has 96 years and Alaska Airlines has 93 years, and they were really at the forefront of commercial aviation. Now we’re creating a brand new carrier with the legacy of almost 200 years of history, uniquely rooted in two states dependent on air cargo services. We are building the foundation for future growth, and we’re already starting to see that in our global expansion out of Seattle.” 

  What opportunities open up for customers with the combined teams and global growth?

“In this new combined carrier of Alaska and Hawaiian, 1 plus 1 didn't equal 2; 1 plus 1 equals exponentially more. Before the combination, a lot of large freight forwarders didn't enter our sphere because we didn't match. Now with our widebody services, the international hub in Seattle to Tokyo Narita (NRT) and Seoul Incheon (ICN) — and with the addition of service from Seattle to London and Rome coming in spring 2026 — our customers are starting to see where we fit into the global supply chain for them. With the expansion to London and Rome, we can start connecting from Asia to Europe via Seattle, in addition to serving local cargo needs.” 

 What is the added value that comes with launching service to a destination like London?

“We are new to London and that is exciting. We are flying a state of the art 787-9, which is a great aircraft for cargo. Almost every country with an air carrier flies to London, so we will be able to connect with even more carriers from an interline perspective, expanding our reach far beyond London. In the same way, we won't just sell Rome, we'll sell beyond Rome. And we'll sell from other points into Rome and into London to come into Alaska Air Cargo's network in the U.S. It’s all part of growing our global presence.” 

 The achievements of the past year have also brought a few challenges for our teams and customers. How are we working to make our flight path smoother going forward?

“First, we have a deep appreciation of our customers’ continued loyalty with us. We know that an IT outage isn’t just an IT outage, and a service failure isn’t just a service failure. When we fail our relationship with our customers, we fail ourselves and we feel it. We work to fix the situation and improve. 

“It is a testament to both organizations, Alaska and Hawaiian, that our relationships with our customers are embedded in a deep sense of trust. Customers have acknowledged some things have gone wrong, especially with bringing two significant carriers together, operating on two systems in many cases. But they know our values. I think that is the remarkable difference. Our customers want to find success with us, and we want to find it with them.” 

 How are we working to improve the customer experience in 2026? 

“Our single cargo booking system for all of our customers, launching in January, will be a big improvement. That also opens online booking for Hawaiian Air Cargo customers, using the same platform as we have at Alaska. And even as we improve the technology, we are careful to keep our customer service personal and individualized, which is one of our biggest strengths.”

 What does the expansion of GoldStreak® Express service mean for the Hawaiian Islands?

“Our GoldStreak® next-flight-out shipping product will add significant value for customers in Hawai’i—improving cutoff and recovery times and extending access across the network. And we’re looking at how we develop the next line of products. Where can we add value? We absolutely will not stop innovating, and a lot of that will be based on what the customers tell us they want.” 

 What makes Alaska and Hawaiian Air Cargo such a strong choice for both our longtime and our newest customers?

“Our differentiator is this team truly, honestly cares and takes our relationship with our customers deeply to heart. Our team is there one hundred percent of the time to partner with customers, to feel the good and the bad, and to work together to find the right solutions. A lot of the business we do is bespoke. It is individualized and literally created for the customer from A to B. And the value we bring grows as our network and capacity grow. I've been doing this for 46 years, but this is brand new. We’re creating something new together, with our customers, and that’s exciting.”  

Connect with Ian Morgan on LinkedIn | Follow Alaska Air Cargo

 About Alaska Air Cargo and Hawaiian Air Cargo 

Together, Alaska Air Cargo and Hawaiian Air Cargo reach 130-plus cargo destinations around the world, including cities across Asia and the South Pacific – and coming in spring 2026, Rome! With more than 90 years of experience carrying vital shipments to remote communities, our air cargo teams share deep connections to the communities where we live, work and fly.