Oct 30, 2026 · about 200 roles
Not linked to AIAlaska Air Group, the owner of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, is laying off about 200 employees in management and other non-union back-office roles, less than 1% of its 32,500 staff, among them 125 in Washington and 48 positions in Hawaii (where 40 jobs go and eight people are offered other roles); pilots, flight attendants, airport guest services and maintenance and engineering staff are not affected.
The reason Alaska Air Group gave
"Despite having the right strategy and strong momentum, fuel prices and geopolitical challenges are putting significant financial pressure on our business," ... "That means taking a hard look at overhead, which has grown at a disproportionate rate to revenue over the last few years, and ensuring our resources are focused on the priorities that will strengthen our company for the long term,"Chief executive Ben Minicucci, in an email to employees of 30 October 2026, quoted by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Minicucci's email and the company's statements, as reported, do not mention AI, and no report read (the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, The Seattle Times, ET Now carrying Reuters) tied the cut to AI. Executives said the cut is not tied to Alaska Air Group's 2024 purchase of Hawaiian Airlines; the Star-Advertiser counted it as the sixth round of management layoffs since that merger.
Source: Honolulu Star-Advertiser: Alaska Airlines cutting 48 Hawaii jobs, citing higher fuel costs. Checked Oct 31, 2026.