November 4, 2026 — Update: Last week’s reports said Alaska Air Group would cut about 200 jobs. New on November 3: a Washington state layoff notice lists the affected sites and says separations start around December 31.
Airline: Alaska Airlines (AS) · United States
What happened
What’s new: KOMO News reported on November 3 that Alaska Airlines filed a federal WARN notice, dated October 30, with Washington’s Employment Security Department. The notice covers job cuts at facilities in Renton, SeaTac and Spokane, with the first separations scheduled for on or about December 31, 2026. The company says the changes are expected to be permanent but that no facility is closing entirely. The number of jobs in the notice was not published.
| Location | Site(s) listed |
|---|---|
| Renton | 1301 SW 16th St |
| SeaTac | Airport, Corporate HQ, General Office, Gold Coast Center, Hangar, Hub, McGee and Stinson sites |
| Spokane | Spokane International Airport, 9000 W Airport Dr |
Bumping rights do not apply, though some employees may be able to return to a former union position. Workers with questions are directed to Christin Leise, managing director of people operations.
Live and Let’s Fly, citing a Reuters review of an employee memo from CEO Ben Minicucci, says the cuts total about 200 non-contract jobs: 125 in Washington and 48 in Hawaii. No frontline, non-management roles are being eliminated. Affected employees finish work on November 13, stay on the payroll through December 31, and receive severance. The cuts are under 1% of the group’s roughly 32,500 employees.
Minicucci warned that Alaska Air Group, which also owns Hawaiian Airlines, could lose as much as $700 million this year if current conditions persist, and he admitted overhead had grown faster than revenue. In its October 20 results, Alaska forecast a full-year adjusted loss of $5.00 to $5.50 per share and said fuel would cost $1.8 billion more than originally planned.
What it means for travelers
- Frontline jobs are not part of these cuts, and none of the sources mention schedule reductions tied to them, so flights on Alaska and Hawaiian should not change because of these layoffs.
- Alaska’s warning about cost pressure and fuel is worth watching. Carriers under pressure often trim winter flying, which would cut open seats. No such cuts have been announced.
Sources
- KOMO News: Alaska Airlines plans permanent job cuts in Renton, SeaTac and Spokane
- Live and Let’s Fly: Alaska Airlines Cuts Jobs As $700 Million Loss Looms, CEO Admits Overhead Costs Grew Too Fast
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