Rob McKinney, the CEO of Northern Pacific Airways, talked to AirlineGeeks after he finished his show-and-tell tour in Saipan. The CEO of the startup airline says the 757 is the prettiest passenger plane in the world. The final touches are being put on the four airplanes.
A rendering of the ceiling of a plane. The photo is of Northern Pacific Airways.
Mr. McKinney talked about the startup's goals. The startup is giving up plans for Mexico to make room for the partnership in the Northern Mariana Islands. It helps the Northern Pacific to focus on the Asia Pacific region.
A plane is getting ready to leave on a tour. The photo is of Northern Pacific Airways.
The airline is going to start service to Japan and South Korea in the spring. The company has two airplanes that have been retrofitted with new interiors, but there are still registration changes that need to be made. The route application is expected to be submitted in December. It can take anywhere between 30 and 45 days. We can look at when we can sell tickets.
The Asia service has been affected by the Russian air space closing. The company seems to be taking the business model of Icelandair when it comes to servicing the area. The company wants to use wet-lease to launch the service, and is currently working withIcelandair. We would prefer a partnership with the airline. Two different countries are trying to partner together, so they create another level of complexity. Some restrictions are being worked through.
Northern Pacific Airways is planning to start service from Saipan to other places. The photo is of Northern Pacific Airways.
The company is in the process of forming a joint venture with a company based in the Commonwealth of the Northern Islands. We are probably a couple of months away from that. It will most likely be in the late March or early April time period. It would take a bit more time.
AirlineGeeks asked if the carrier was planning on serving the destinations of Japan and South Korea. Japan and Korea have a shorter distance than Australia, so they will have to pay for the extra travel time. They aren't an option at launch, but the airline considers those destinations to be a second step when it has its certificate.
The 7H code will be used for the service from Saipan. There will be a new livery on the planes, which will be called 'Northern Marianas'.
Before the Asia Service starts, the company was going to serve Mexico from California. The company has pulled back on the effort. Regulatory approvals for Mexico can always be an option for us. It's a better business model for us to go to Saipan.
From Alaska, the carrier will fly to Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Florida. The LA area will be served by the airline via the OIA. There is a more dense Asian population close to the Ontario airport than at Los Angeles International. OIA is looking for more international services and has cheaper fees than the mega hub.
Several locations in China were mentioned by the CEO. Once China reopens, that can happen. Routes from northeastern China were worked on by the Alaskan government before Northern Pacific Airways was founded.
It is possible to serve further south to places like Taiwan. It depends on the evolution of the partnership. It could happen when the company scales up to flying planes.
The entrance to the Navigators Club is at the airport. The photo is of Northern Pacific Airways.
The $6m renovation project at the airline's future home in the North Terminal at Alaska was shared by Mr. McKinney. The company's renovation is almost complete. The premium passenger lounge, the Navigators Club and an IMAX theater are some of the highlights in the leased area.
There is food and drink in the club. The photo is of Northern Pacific Airways.
There is food and drink in the club. The photo is of Northern Pacific Airways.
Passengers will be greeted by the logo of the lounge that is compass-shaped. There are large open spaces in the lounge. Hot and cold drinks will be provided when it opens. Premium passengers will have plenty of seating options.
A promo video of Alaska will be shown in a mini-Imax theater. The photo is of Northern Pacific Airways.
The IMAX theater is designed to give passengers a few more days to pass through. In order to show people what Alaska has to offer, the theater will be playing an 8 minute movie on a loop.
Passengers will be able to create a more extended layover with the Alaska-based airline. It will be easy for us to book the same reservation on the same code since the airline is owned by the same person. It will be very easy for passengers to hop on a dash 8 and see part of Alaska.
Like Breeze, NPA has to fight for its brand because of the BNSF lawsuit. Breeze was changed from Moxee due to an issue with Marriott. The BNSF branding has not been used commercially for over 50 years and Mr. McKinney is optimistic that the company will prevail.
Even though the airline had a few delays in inaugurating services, it's nothing out of the ordinary compared to other airlines that have begun services in the last two years. Securing airplanes and regulatory approvals have led to the postponement of services. Northern Pacific is close to its first passenger flight with two completed planes and a near finished terminal.
We have to pivot but we are making progress. I am very pleased with the progress we have made and the opportunities we have. It is very interesting.
Can you tell us what NPA's plan is for the area?
The NPA is in talks with people down there. It would be based in the northern part of the country. Initially, for flights to Australia. They are just talking and planning. Like Korea and Japan, Australia and Phillepeans are also similar. We can't make those actual applications until we have the airplanes on our op spec. It would take a bit more time. It will most likely be in the late March or early April time period.
Is the initial plan to serve only Australia and the Philippians a possibility in the future?
It would take a partner to do those flights for us until we can get our own certified.
There have been rumors that Northern Pacific Airways would wet-lease airplanes. Will there be more involvement in the future?
NPA will most likely be a part owner. There will be flights on an airplane branded in Nothern Marianas. If you look at them, you'll see the same livery as ours, just with a different name. Our code will be 7H-coded tickets. It will be ours.
The BNSF lawsuit has an effect on your branding.
NPA: 'We don't think so.' We are still in the initial stages, so I can't talk too much. It would have been better if it came to this. For the past 52 years, the railroad has not used that brand. They are both freight companies and passenger airlines. We are hopeful that we will prevail in the end despite the unfortunate situation.
Before the H1N1 epidemic, Saipan island was a popular destination for Chinese visitors. If the country reopens, do you think the routes will be opened?
It depends more on China than we do. Regardless of what happens at CNMI, we have our eyes on other places. We are waiting to see when China opens up.
AG: Since you're focused on Asia connections through Alaska, can you give us any updates on that?
We need to have the airplanes on our certificate before we can finish the application. The application is expected to be submitted in December. It can take anywhere between 30 and 45 days. We can look at when we can begin selling tickets. We are working on that. Making this big of a jump is not easy.
The Russian air space closing adds to that. What has that done to your plans?
NPA added complexity. We need to have a partner to do those flights for us until we can get our own certification.
Are you working on something?
You have to fly to work on the project. The request is there before we start flying the airplanes. You have to be operating before you start working on the project.
Have you found a partner to operate those routes?
We are in talks with a few people, but our preference would be a partnership withIcelandair. We have had a couple of discussions, and I have been to a couple of places. Two different countries are trying to partner together, so they create another level of complexity. There are some restrictions that we have to work through.
The Mexico service is still planned for the interim.
NPA: 'We paused on that. The opportunity came from Saipan. Regulatory approvals for Mexico can always be an option for us. It's a better business model for us to go to Saipan.
Since you just unveiled some exciting features for your new terminal, how is the construction going?
It is close to being done. There are no cabinets or ceilings in the premium passenger lounge. It came out great.
How are you going to use those spaces? Is there a way to promote a stop in Alaska?
The whole point of the IMAX theater is that. The premium class lounge will not be the only one. The looping movie will show people that if you only make a connection, this is what you missed. If you were to stay in Alaska, you could do these things. To get them to stay a few days.
Will passengers be able to change their flights on the spot and extend their stay in Alaska?
Since we are the same company, it's definitely true. We will be able to book the same reservation on the same code. It will be very easy for them to hop on a dash 8 and see part of Alaska.
What US destinations would you like to serve from?
NPA states that Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York and Florida.
The LA Area will be served from Ontario.
They were looking for new international service at theOntario airport. There is a more dense Asian population close to the Ontario airport than at Los Angeles International Airport. In the same league, the airport cost is not the same. It was a lot of sense for us to live in Ontario.
The airplane you took on the tour was in Ontario.
The Ontario airport is our maintenance base. There are changes that can be made. The ceiling is going to be a dark one with twinkleLED lights. We have the best passenger in the world at the moment. They are still in. The Ontario base is being worked on through the FAA. It's better to store an airplane in Ontario than it is in Alaska.
There is a direct flight from Ontario to Taiwan. Do you want to serve Taipei in the future?
It depends on how Saipan goes because we can't get to Taiwan from Alaska. We don't want to do Tech Stop routes because they'll be a disadvantage. Unless we connect out of a Saipan hub, we won't get there in the short run.
A G: Do you have any plans to increase your body mass index?
NPA thinks that's the natural evolution. Our five-year plan shows a scaling to 50 airplanes in seven years, but all narrow bodies.
How much time do you think you can spend in those airframes, and how do you plan on scaling to 50 airplanes?
The NPA thinks we have at least ten more years to go. The 757 fleet is being extended by Delta. I don't think we can scale to that with the 757s, so at some point, we'll have to change to another plane. It is better for the business model if we stay in the narrow body space.
How many airplanes do you own right now?
The NPA has four at the moment. There are two that are done with retrofitting and one that is not. One is in C check and the other is waiting to go through C check as soon as possible.
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