Alaska Airlines last week said goodbye to its beloved Q400. The retirement of the aircraft, which has come rather rapidly, is part of the airline’s bigger goal to upgrade its fleet. A handful of weeks ago, they also removed their final Airbus A320.
Following the removal of the Q400 means that the E175 is the sole aircraft being flown by Horizon Air. This is the sister company to Alaska Airlines and focuses on regional operations.
The company said goodbye to its Q400 precisely 22 years after its first revenue flight, on January 26th, 2001. The airline operated its last Q400 service from Spokane to Seattle on January 26th, 2023.
For Horizon, the decision to retire the Q400s was a logical yet tough decision emotionally. Alaska knew their regional operations flying the Q400 and E175 were not sustainable for long-term operations, and moving to one fleet type would be better. The company would see resources poured into one aircraft rather than two.
The E175 will remain a fundamental part of their operations. With it being faster than the Q400, it opens up possibilities to develop markets in the Pacific Northwest and beyond while also being much quieter than the Q400.
