Global GSA Group has partnered with Alaska Airlines as its General Sales & Service Agent (GSSA) to support the airline’s new direct flight connections from Rome-Fiumicino to Seattle, starting late April. Global GSA Group will be responsible for developing Alaska Airline’s freight operations from Italy, helping to strengthen its Seattle hub as an international gateway. Daily Boeing 787-9 services will provide Italian forwarders with connections to over 100 destinations in the U.S., Asia-Pacific, South Pacific, and Latin America, and will likely be loaded with commodities such as aircraft parts, high fashion, pharmaceuticals, food, and machine parts. As the fifth-largest U.S. carrier and 15th largest globally, Alaska Airlines views cargo as a crucial revenue stream amid its European expansion and Asian-focused growth.
Aytekin Saray, Chief Executive Officer of Global GSA Group, said: “At Global GSA Group, we enjoy a very close cooperation with our Italian forwarders and will ensure that we maximize the benefit of this new cargo connection both for the community and Alaska Airlines. Rome-Seattle is a particularly attractive routing as it offers an additional, direct service into the Pacific Northwest and beyond, for the great variety of high value, special goods that Italy exports and Global GSA Group are experts in dealing with. We are proud to call Alaska Airlines our newest partner and customer.” Ian Morgan, Alaska Airlines Vice President of Cargo, commented: “Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines are two carriers with tremendous histories – more than nine decades apiece – placing them at the forefront of commercial aviation. Now we’re creating a brand-new carrier with that legacy of almost 200 years of history. We are building the foundation for future growth, and our global expansion out of Seattle is leading the way. Our partnership with Global GSA Group allows us to establish exciting new shipping connections between Rome and Seattle – and up and down the West Coast, where we serve more destinations than any other carrier. We have such a unique destination mix, which includes Alaska and Hawaii, of course, but also the 115+ destinations we serve around the world. With Global GSA Group, we are uniquely positioned to be an important new partner for the forwarding community.”
