纽约电——美国航空公司Alaska Air Group的负责人在接受《日经新闻》采访时表示，该公司计划将其国际航线数量增加两倍，并相信与日本航空（JAL）的合作将有助于其拓展亚洲市场。
NEW YORK -- Alaska Air Group aims to triple its international routes, the head of the U.S. carrier told Nikkei, betting a partnership with Japan Airlines will help drive an expansion into the Asian market.
Alaska Airlines母公司Alaska Air Group的总裁兼首席执行官Ben Minicucci在位于西雅图的总部举办的一场活动上介绍了这一计划。到2030年，从该市出发的长途国际航线目的地将增至15个。
Ben Minicucci, president and CEO of Alaska Airlines' parent, Alaska Air Group, spoke of the plans at an event in Seattle, where the group is headquartered. Long-haul international routes departing from the city will rise to 15 destinations by 2030.
Minicucci表示：“当全部15个目的地开通后，航线布局将更偏向亚洲，而非欧洲。”
"When all the 15 destinations are done, it will skew more to Asia than to Europe," said Minicucci.
除了Alaska Airlines，Alaska Air Group还拥有Hawaiian Airlines和区域航空公司Horizon Air。该公司主要在西海岸运营，其历史可追溯至1932年在阿拉斯加安克雷奇成立的McGee Airways。
Along with Alaska Airlines, Alaska Air Group also owns Hawaiian Airlines and regional carrier Horizon Air. Alaska Air Group operates primarily on the West Coast and traces its roots to McGee Airways, founded in Anchorage, Alaska, in 1932.
2021年，Alaska Air Group加入了拥有JAL成员资格的全球航空联盟Oneworld。在收购Hawaiian Airlines之后，该公司一直在不断拓展国际航线。
In 2021, Alaska Air Group joined the Oneworld global air alliance, which counts JAL as a member. The group has been expanding international routes following the Hawaiian Airlines acquisition.
由于日元疲软，从美国前往日本的游客数量有所增加，Delta Air Lines、United Airlines和American Airlines也相继扩大了飞往日本的航线。
With the weak yen driving an increase of travelers from the U.S. to Japan, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and American Airlines have been expanding routes to Japan.
通过JAL的航线网络为乘客提供前往亚洲目的地的连接服务，将使Alaska Airlines具备竞争优势。
Alaska Airlines will have a competitive advantage by connecting passengers to Asian destinations through JAL's network.
Minicucci表示：“我们飞往日本的最大优势……在于与日本航空的关系，以及利用其航线网络输送中转旅客的能力。这是我们的竞争对手所不具备的优势。”本月，Alaska Airlines升级了连接东京成田机场与西雅图的航线。该公司计划将日本航线作为中转飞往亚洲其他地区的枢纽。
"Our biggest asset flying to Japan ... is our relationship with Japan Airlines and the ability to flow connecting traffic on Japan Airlines," said Minicucci. "That is an advantage we have that our competitors do not." Alaska Airlines this month upgraded its route connecting Tokyo's Narita Airport to Seattle. The carrier plans to utilize Japan routes as a hub for connecting flights to Asia.
据日本国家旅游局数据，8月份有197,400名美国游客访问日本，与去年同期相比增长1.5%，创下8月份的历史新高。
In August, 197,400 people from the U.S. visited Japan, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. This marks a 1.5% increase compared to the same month last year and a record high for August.
Minicucci认为，日元疲软“无疑”推动了这一数字的增长。
The weak yen is "definitely helping" drive those numbers, according to Minicucci.
阿拉斯加航空集团首席执行官本·米尼库奇表示，其公司的扩张计划将更侧重于飞往亚洲的航线，而非欧洲。
Alaska Air Group CEO Ben Minicucci said his company's expansion efforts will focus more on routes to Asia than to Europe.
燃油价格的上涨引发了全球航空业的动荡。大韩航空与韩亚航空正在合并，而美国联合航空也曾考虑与美国航空合并。但米尼库奇表示，阿拉斯加航空集团未来至少三年内将专注于发展现有业务。他表示：“目前并没有考虑收购。”该行业日益频繁的并购活动也招致了美国监管机构的更严格审查。
A rise in fuel prices has led to a shake-up in global aviation. Korean Air and Asiana Airlines are merging and United Airlines considered a merger with American Airlines. But Alaska Air Group will focus on growing existing businesses for at least three years, said Minicucci. "Acquisitions are not in view right now," he said. The increasing mergers and acquisitions in the industry have led to stricter scrutiny from U.S. authorities.
米尼库奇说：“要让（收购案）通过美国司法部和运输部的审批，所面临的障碍非常高。”
"To get [an acquisition] past the Department of Justice and the Department of Transportation, the hurdles are very, very high," said Minicucci.
阿拉斯加航空大量使用波音737 MAX机型，而该机型一直存在质量问题。2024年1月，一架阿拉斯加航空的737-9 MAX飞机在飞行过程中出现舱门封板脱落的情况。事故发生后，该公司派遣员工前往波音生产设施，并实施了季度审计。
Alaska Airlines has made heavy use of the Boeing 737 Max, which has been plagued by quality issues. In January 2024, a door plug detached from a 737-9 Max plane during an Alaska Airlines flight. After the incident, the carrier sent employees to Boeing production facilities and has conducted quarterly audits.
米尼库奇表示：“目前波音交付的飞机质量非常好。”但他同时强调：“我们绝不会降低标准，也不会停止向波音施压，以确保他们每天都专注于质量、安全，并为我们提供最优质的飞机。”夏威夷航空首席执行官戴安娜·比克特·拉科也出席了此次采访。她指出，由于日元疲软，在日本销售的飞往夏威夷的机票需求有所下降，并表示公司未来将重点拓展东京和大阪市场，而非进入规模较小的城市。
"The quality coming out of Boeing is very good right now," Minicucci said. But "we will never lower the bar or stop putting pressure on Boeing to make sure that every day they focus on quality, they focus on safety, and they focus on delivering us the best airplanes." Hawaiian Airlines CEO Diana Birkett Rakow was also present at the interview. She noted that demand has declined somewhat for tickets to Hawaii sold in Japan, citing the weak yen, adding the company would focus on Tokyo and Osaka rather than expand to smaller cities.
该航空公司计划对其日本航线使用的空客A330客机进行内部全面升级，将高级座位（包括商务舱和高级经济舱）的比例从目前30%提升至约40%。
The carrier plans to overhaul interiors of the Airbus A330 jets used on its Japan routes, expanding the share of premium seats -- including business class and premium economy -- to about 40% from the current 30%.