ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An airplane uniquely configured for Alaska that could leave passengers sharing the main deck with a kitchen sink, this week’s groceries or a herd of reindeer is about to be taken out of service.
Alaska Airlines is retiring its combi planes, Boeing 737-400s designed to be half cargo immediately behind the cockpit and then seating for 72 passengers in the rear. The planes were the workhorse for the airline, moving goods and people across the nation’s largest state.
The airline is replacing the combis with a dedicated freight fleet. Passengers will fly on Boeing 737-700s. The last combi flight is scheduled for Oct. 18, which is also Alaska Day. That’s a state holiday recognizing the formal transfer of Alaska from Russia to the United States 150 years ago.