Alaska Airlines to Serve as Iditarod's Official Airline Sponsor

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Mar 03, 2010, 09:00 ET

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, March 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alaska Airlines will serve as the official airline sponsor of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, marking the 32nd year the airline has supported the race.

"The Iditarod is one of Alaska's most celebrated and cherished traditions," said Susan Bramstedt, Alaska Airlines' director of public affairs for the state of Alaska. "It's an honor to support the race and contribute to the ongoing success and safety of such an amazing event."

The airline will again present the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award, which recognizes one musher for providing exemplary dog care and is considered the highest honor a competitor can receive. The award is named after one of Alaska's most-celebrated mushers, whose 1925 sled-dog team traveled the longest distance to transport diphtheria serum to Nome, Alaska.

As part of its sponsorship, Alaska Airlines also will provide air transportation and dog-care supplies for a team of 48 Iditarod veterinarians who care for the race dogs' health and safety.

In addition, many Alaska Airlines employees will contribute volunteer hours. The Dog Squad, staffed by airline employee volunteers, again will assist mushers and their dogs at the finish line. Several Alaska Airlines pilots also will serve in the Iditarod Air Force, flying veterinarians, supplies and volunteers to remote checkpoints along the trail.

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together serve more than 90 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 and 2009 North America Airline Satisfaction Studies(SM). For reservations, visit alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at alaskaair.com/newsroom.

SOURCE Alaska Airlines