Alaska Airlines to Serve as Official Airline of Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race

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Feb 27, 2014, 11:00 ET

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Feb. 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Airlines will serve as the official airline sponsor of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, marking the 36th year the carrier has supported the event.

"We're proud to continue our longstanding support of The Last Great Race," said Marilyn Romano, regional vice president – Alaska. "With ties to the 49th state spanning more than eight decades, the Iditarod is a great source of pride for our more than 1,650 employees who call Alaska home."

As the official airline of the Iditarod, Alaska continues its tradition of presenting the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award, which recognizes one musher for providing exemplary dog care and is considered the highest honor a competitor can receive. Voted on by trail veterinarians, the Leonhard Seppala 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.

As part of its sponsorship, Alaska Airlines also will help provide air transportation and
dog-care supplies for 45 Iditarod veterinarians who come to Alaska from across the United States to care for the race dogs' health and safety.

In addition, many Alaska Airlines employees contribute their time at the event. Among them are several pilots who lead the Iditarod Air Force, flying veterinarians, supplies and volunteers to remote checkpoints along the trail.

Alaska Airlines, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together with its partner regional airlines, serves nearly 100 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska Airlines has ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers" in the J.D. Power and Associates North America Airline Satisfaction Study^SM for six consecutive years from 2008 to 2013. For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.

SOURCE Alaska Airlines