Legislature(2007 - 2008)
2007-06-20 House Journal
Full Journal pdf2007-06-20 House Journal Page 1483 HCR 9 The following letter dated June 12, 2007, was received: "Dear Speaker Harris: It is with pleasure that I have read the following resolution that was passed by the first session of the Twenty-Fifth Alaska State Legislature: HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 9 Congratulating Alaska Airlines on its 75th anniversary. Legislative Resolve No. 12 I wish to add my voice to the chorus of Alaska legislators who congratulate Alaska Airlines for its 75 years of service to the State and former Territory of Alaska. The company traces its roots to Mac McGee, a rugged, hard-working bush pilot who started McGee Airways in Anchorage in 1932. After several mergers, the company now known as Alaska Airlines was born in 1944, and later joined with airlines founded by aviation legends, Shell Simmons, Bob Ellis, and Mudhole Smith. 2007-06-20 House Journal Page 1484 It grew from a small regional air carrier to the ninth largest airline in the United States. Its fleet of more than 100 jets carries more than 12 million passengers a year. It now offers service that extends beyond Alaska to Russia, Mexico, Washington, D.C. and, later this fall, Hawaii. It even has participated in historical events such as the Berlin Airlift in 1948 and Operation Magic Carpet that carried thousands of Yemenite Jewish refugees to Israel in 1949. Time and time again, Alaska Airlines distinguishes itself as an innovator of technology for flight safety and customer service. In 1996, it became the first airline in the world to integrate the satellite Global Positioning System with the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System - a network that uses two dozen satellites to triangulate an airplane's position and apply that information to an onboard computer database of contour maps that show a pilot an aircraft's position to nearby terrain. Alaska Airlines also pioneered the use of the Required Navigation Performance system to fly contoured approaches and departures with remarkable accuracy into and out of the rugged landscapes of many Alaska airports. In 1995, the company became the first U.S. air carrier to book flights and sell tickets on the Internet. In 1999, it became the first U.S. airline to offer Web check-in, allowing customers to check in and print boarding passes via the Internet. It even offers special, discounted constituent fares to make it easier for Alaskans to visit their capital. In 2004, it introduced its "Airport of the Future" check-in protocol at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, an innovation that has dramatically sped up checking into the state's largest and busiest airline hub. In an era that has seen the demise of such aviation giants as Pan American World Airways and Eastern Air Lines, Alaska Airlines - through grit, determination, and innovation - the smiling face with the parka hood continues to soar. 2007-06-20 House Journal Page 1485 For that reason and more, I am happy to transmit the engrossed and enrolled copies of HCR 9 to the Lieutenant Governor's Office for permanent filing. Sincerely, /s/ Sarah Palin Governor"