Airlines

Alaska Airlines chooses Rome for its first transatlantic flight

American company CEO Minicucci: 'The fuel crisis has not changed our plans. Jet fuel in the US is there but costs twice as much'

by Mara Monti

30 April 2026

Il Being 787-9 dell’Alaska Airlines atterrato a Roma Fiumicino

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

"The fuel crisis is a global crisis: we are paying about twice as much as historical levels. It is a huge crisis, but not in terms of availability. The fuel is there, it just costs a lot more than it did two months ago. Having said that, the US is in a good position, in fact a very good position, from a supply point of view'.

This was said by Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Airlines, who landed in Rome Fiumicino from Seattle on the inaugural direct flight marking the American airline's debut in Europe. The flight, which departed from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, flew over the Atlantic and landed in Italia at 13:15 on 29 April, after 10 hours and 45 minutes and 4,930 nautical miles. The aircraft, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, then departed at 15:35 for Seattle, arriving 11 hours and 20 minutes later

«Dopo Roma, Londra e Reykjavik»

Il ceo di Alaska Airlines, Ben Minicucci

The launch of the Rome connection represents a strategic shift for Alaska Airlines, which has historically focused on US domestic flights on the West Coast. The airline had announced as early as 2024 its intention to transform its Seattle hub into a global hub, following its merger with Hawaiian Airlines, which already had a fleet of wide-body aircraft for long-haul routes, including 17 Boeing 787 Dreamliners scheduled for delivery over the next five years.

This operation allowed the company to expand its network to Asia, where it now serves destinations such as Tokyo and Seoul, previously operated by Hawaiian Airlines. In Europe, Rome is the first destination, followed by London (from 21 May) and Reykjavik, Iceland (from 28 May).

Although the launch of long-haul flights took place in the midst of the fuel crisis, the company has not changed its plans, which include the opening of at least 12-15 new routes. 'It is difficult to pinpoint the right moment,' Minicucci explained to Il Sole 24 Ore. 'We decided to fly to Rome 18 months ago and no one could have foreseen the doubling of fuel prices. The positive aspect is that, from a financial point of view, we have managed to compensate with increases in air ticket prices averaging between $20 and $30, without impacting on demand, which remains strong'.

To counter rising costs, the company introduced a fee for hand luggage. The decision comes after a $193 million loss in the first quarter and the suspension of financial guidance for 2026 due to uncertainty over fuel prices.

'The tickets sold so far have not been affected by the increase, because they were booked before the crisis. But in the future it will be different,' added the CEO. 'We expect to recover between one third and 50 per cent of fuel costs by this year, but much will depend on demand, which for now remains strong, especially in premium economy and first class on domestic flights.

The Seattle-Rome route is operated with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner originally owned by Hawaiian Airlines, configured with 34 business class seats (including the new international suites), 79 seats in premium economy and 266 in economy. The flight was initially planned with a reduced frequency, but strong demand prompted the company to make it daily throughout the summer season.

"We have seen that there is demand and bookings are very positive. Sales are stronger in the US because the brand is better known, but they are also growing in Italia. We also focus on cargo: for example, we transported clams from Seattle. So if you eat pasta with clams in Rome, they might come from there,' Minicucci commented.

Hawaii remains a strong point for the company: 'We operate 60 flights a day to the islands, with a very solid network, and we are very strong on the West Coast, from Alaska to California. We want to build a global network from Seattle, our hub where we do not fear competition'.

Asked why Rome was chosen as the first European destination, Minicucci said: 'There is a personal motivation in the choice: I love Italia and my parents were originally from Campobasso. For me it was an emotional choice, but not only. We also analysed the demand: from Seattle it was difficult to reach Rome without direct flights. Now we have filled this gap. It is a great opportunity to connect the West Coast with Italia'.

He concluded: 'Competitors are starting to follow us, but we do not fear them: our home network is stronger. We came to Rome to stay for a long time'.