Alaska Air Group said on Friday it would eliminate about 200 non-contract positions, including 125 in Washington state and 48 in Hawaii, with no frontline, non-management jobs cut; affected employees work until November 13 and stay on pay through December 31 with severance and other support. In a memo to employees seen by Reuters, chief executive Ben Minicucci said the company could lose as much as 700 million dollars this year if current conditions persist, which would be its first adjusted pretax loss outside the pandemic since 2003, and he pointed to soaring fuel prices and geopolitical challenges alongside overhead costs that have grown faster than revenue. The cuts land while Alaska pursues an expansion into premium and international travel, where strong revenue growth has not been enough to shield earnings from the fuel bill.
Alaska Air cuts 200 jobs as fuel costs bite
Alaska Air Group will eliminate about 200 non-contract positions, under 1 percent of its roughly 32,500 employees, as chief executive Ben Minicucci warned the airline could lose as much as 700 million dollars this year if current conditions persist.
Why it matters: The fuel price shock is moving from fares and schedules into airline jobs, and a first adjusted pretax loss outside the pandemic since 2003 at a carrier known for cost discipline shows how far the squeeze now reaches.
Data as of Reuters report by Rajesh Kumar Singh, published by Investing.com on October 30, 2026 and read in full in this run, reporting an internal memo from chief executive Ben Minicucci seen by Reuters and a company spokesperson. The report cites no regulatory filing or WARN Act notice. Developing item.
Sources
- Alaska Air to cut 200 jobs, warns of potential $700 million annual loss - Reuters, via Investing.com - 2026-10-30