Published on September 11, 2025
Alaska Air Group has made important activity announcements, pinch Diana Birkett Rakow group to go nan caller CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, and Kyle Levine promoted to Executive Vice President, Corporate & Public Affairs astatine Alaska Airlines. These activity transitions awesome a caller section for nan hose group, aligning pinch its imagination of creating a much unified and enhanced recreation acquisition for its customers.
Effective October 29, 2025, Diana Birkett Rakow, presently nan Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Sustainability astatine Alaska Airlines, will return complete arsenic CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, succeeding Joe Sprague who will discontinue aft a distinguished career. Rakow’s assignment highlights nan strategic importance of Hawaiian Airlines to Alaska Air Group, arsenic nan 2 companies hole to run nether a single operating certificate (SOC) successful nan coming months. As nan caller CEO, Rakow will beryllium based successful Honolulu, overseeing nan semipermanent maturation of Hawaiian Airlines and advancing Alaska Air Group’s business successful nan Hawaiian Islands, which serves arsenic 1 of their largest hubs.
Rakow brings a wealthiness of acquisition from her clip astatine Alaska Airlines, wherever she has worked connected sustainability, public affairs, and community relations, while driving nan company’s initiatives successful Hawai’i and Alaska. Rakow’s inheritance and activity will proceed to fortify Hawaiian Airlines, ensuring it remains a cardinal subordinate successful nan Pacific marketplace and delivering a premium acquisition for travelers.
In summation to Rakow’s appointment, Kyle Levine, nan existent Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary astatine Alaska Airlines, will beryllium promoted to Executive Vice President, Corporate & Public Affairs. Levine will now oversee a broader scope of responsibilities, including public and authorities affairs and corporate philanthropy, while maintaining his ineligible and governance functions. This move reflects Alaska Air Group’s commitment to strengthening its relationships pinch section communities and stakeholders crossed its markets.
Key Highlights of Leadership Transitions astatine Alaska Air Group
- Diana Birkett Rakow: Appointed arsenic nan caller CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, effective October 29, 2025, succeeding Joe Sprague who will discontinue aft a distinguished career.
- Kyle Levine: Promoted to Executive Vice President, Corporate & Public Affairs, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary astatine Alaska Airlines, overseeing caller responsibilities successful public and authorities affairs.
- Hawaiian Airlines: Set to run nether single operating certificate (SOC) from nan Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) later this year, signaling a important measurement towards greater integration pinch Alaska Airlines.
- Sustainability and Corporate Impact: Rakow will proceed to lead Alaska Air Group’s sustainability initiatives and firm effect efforts, focusing connected biology sustainability and organization engagement.
- Expansion of Leadership Roles: Levine’s promotion highlights Alaska Air Group’s commitment to strengthening its activity squad and ensuring alignment pinch nan company’s broader strategical goals.
The Importance of Hawaiian Airlines to Alaska Air Group
Hawaiian Airlines holds a typical value wrong Alaska Air Group arsenic it plays a cardinal domiciled successful nan company’s description into nan Pacific market. The Hawaiian Airlines brand has agelong been an integral portion of Alaska Airlines’ portfolio, and nether Rakow’s leadership, nan hose will proceed to innovate and present exceptional work to travelers crossed Hawai’i and beyond.
The caller integration efforts betwixt Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines will culminate successful a single operating certificate (SOC), simplifying nan operational building and ensuring an improved customer experience. This caller building will thief optimize schedules, streamline customer service, and create synergies crossed some brands, offering a much seamless recreation acquisition for passengers flying betwixt nan mainland U.S. and Hawai’i.
Rakow’s activity will beryllium pivotal successful maintaining and expanding Hawaiian Airlines’ marque legacy, which is known for its attraction connected hospitality, culture, and community engagement. With her heavy ties to nan Hawaiian organization and knowing of nan hose industry, Rakow is poised to elevate Hawaiian Airlines to caller heights, ensuring it continues to beryllium a leader successful nan Hawaiian aviation market.
Strengthening Alaska Air Group’s Leadership Team
The promotion of Kyle Levine to Executive Vice President, Corporate & Public Affairs underscores nan increasing value of public and authorities affairs wrong nan hose group. Levine’s activity successful this area will thief Alaska Air Group navigate analyzable regulatory landscapes, foster organization relations, and guarantee nan company’s continued occurrence successful its markets. Levine will besides oversee corporate philanthropy, helping nan institution further its efforts to support section communities and thrust affirmative change.
Levine’s ineligible and compliance expertise, coupled pinch his acquisition overseeing Alaska Airlines’ mergers and acquisitions, including nan Virgin America and Hawaiian Airlines acquisitions, makes him an perfect prime to lead Alaska Air Group’s nationalist affairs efforts. His domiciled will further merge nan company’s operations and nationalist engagement, strengthening its position successful some nan U.S. mainland and Hawaiian markets.
Alaska Air Group’s Future Vision
The activity changes astatine Alaska Air Group are portion of a broader imagination to fortify nan airline’s position arsenic a starring bearer successful some home and world markets. As Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines move guardant together nether a single operating certificate, nan institution will proceed to attraction connected expanding its way network, improving nan customer experience, and investing successful sustainable practices to guarantee a greener early for aviation.
The mixed spot of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, coupled pinch nan activity of Diana Birkett Rakow and Kyle Levine, will thief nan hose group meet its eager goals, which see expanding its world reach pinch caller world destinations, launching nan caller Atmos™ Rewards loyalty program, and continuing to put successful fleet modernization and customer acquisition improvements.
Conclusion: A New Era for Alaska Air Group
With nan modulation of Diana Birkett Rakow to CEO of Hawaiian Airlines and Kyle Levine’s promotion, Alaska Air Group is well-positioned to proceed its maturation and occurrence successful nan aviation industry. Rakow’s activity astatine Hawaiian Airlines and Levine’s expanded domiciled astatine Alaska Airlines will thief thrust nan company’s imagination forward, ensuring nan continued excellence of some airlines arsenic they service passengers crossed North America, Hawai’i, and nan Pacific.