Mumbai05 Jan 23 1 Traveller Economy
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About Washington
Washington DC, is the capital city of the United States of America. The city reflects the rich history of the United States with its neoclassical monuments and iconic locations. The place will keep you engaged with its compelling slew of tourist attractions. As the capital of the United States of America, Washington DC has many traditional attractions with important museums and monuments. Make sure to visit all the Smithsonian American museums as they shed light on various cultural and historical significance of America.
Best time to visit Washington DC
Washington DC's summers are the peak season for travel. However, to steer clear off all the touristy crowd and to engage in some real fun, it is best to opt for spring and autumn. Summers in Washington DC are from June to August when the city experiences sweltering heat and a tremendous tourist crowd. Some of the fun events and festivals hosted by the city during this period include Capital Pride Parade, National Mall Fourth of July Celebration and Summerfest DC. While they may seem like enjoyable activities to participate in, the exorbitant prices of surviving a trip might pull you back. Although many locals ring in summers in other parts of the US, tourists might find Washington DC to be a tad bit expensive during peak season. Even hotel rooms in Washington DC are expensive. The months leading up to summer, though, are quite pleasant and even easy on the pockets. Spring brings with it the season of blossoms as the month of March begins with the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Watching the cherry blossoms bloom is a trip and definitely worth experiencing. The city also witnesses the National Memorial Day Parade, another interesting festival to be a part of.
Maybe not summer but the season following summer in Washington DC is just as favourable for tourists. The autumn season is just next to perfection and definitely something all tourists would enjoy. The weather is exquisite and calm as the brisk winter air starts to slowly take over the city. Booking a hotel in Washington DC becomes cheap and affordable too as the summer crowd takes away the expensive tags. However, as many business travellers make their way into the city, the hotel deals might still be a hard snag unless you make prior hotel bookings in Washington DC. The city witnesses the H Street festival and Library of Congress National Book Festival during autumn. The cultural festivals with their historical significance only add to the experience one might take in during a trip to Washington DC. If you want to downscale your budget further, then winter is the best time to visit for you. The city streets freeze up while the temperature ranges between 5 degree Celsius to 7 degree Celsius. The perks, though, are the slash in hotel room prices, which is a sweet deal if you want to experience winter in the city.
Places to visit in Washington DC
The first thing to check out would undoubtedly be the Lincoln Memorial. The location would make quite a postcard-worthy click with Honest Abe's memorial in the background. Next, you can visit Vietnam Veterans and Korean War Veterans Memorials, popularly referred to as 'the Wall', which has names of all the Americans who succumbed to the Vietnam War. Just around the Lincoln Memorial is the beautiful Tidal Basin, a must-visit, especially during spring. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is a treasure trove which celebrates exquisite aircraft, including Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega 5B and Wilbur and Orville Wright's 1903 Wright Flyer, to name a few. It is a fascinating place and would certainly pique your interest. The city also has the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum which showcases the atrocities faced during the World War II. Do not miss the National Gallery of Art and The White House and the Washington Monument.
Things to do in Washington DC
Majority of the things that you can do in the city pertain to some of the sightseeing. Washington DC is recognised to be the city with a plethora of historical monuments and a haven for American history. The city offers a peek into the country's history as well as important events. Aside from indulging in the past of the country, one of the things you should definitely do is get tickets to a show at The John F Kennedy Centre for Performing Arts. You can explore the US Capitol's Library of Congress to get more understanding of the politics. A picture next to Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial also sounds like a good thing to do. You can also take a break from all the history lessons and head to 9:30 Club to relish some live music. The club has hosted many big bands, including RHCP and Nirvana.
Food and Restaurants in Washington DC
Washington DC's food culture is as diverse as the capital can get. There is an abundance of succulent eateries spread across the city. From piquant Spanish delicacies to oyster shots, there are many ethnic and global restaurants that will get your attention. Check out H Street Northeast, in the Atlas District to get some of the ethnic action as there are Belgian, Japanese and many more cultural kitchens. To get the sophisticated gourmet experience at an upscale restaurant, you can visit José Andrés' hotels such as Zaytinya and Oyamel Cocina Mexicana. Old Ebbitt grill and 1789 are also some lovely places where you will get the high-end fine dining experience. However, if you are on a budget, then opt for some eateries such as Ben's Chili Bowl and Good Stuff Eatery. These places have some signature dishes that you shouldn't miss at any cost. From lip-smacking burgers to rice bowls, the two joints offer an interesting palette of flavours in their meals that is worth all the money shelled out. Good Stuff Eatery's burgers are famous as they have been curated by chef Spike Mendelsohn.
Another major highlight to add to Washington DC's food culture are the farmer's markets in the city. Located in the District, a group of farmers huddle up to sell their fresh goods which come in all forms, colours and shapes. You'll find organic vegetables, healthy fruits and a colourful spread of goods at the market. It is a good place to get some of the fruity and healthy veggies action. Columbia Heights Farmers Market and FRESHFARM are two recognised markets that you should check out when in the city. Interestingly, the city also has lovely breweries and brewpubs, which came into existence in the recent past. However, the best way to enjoy the DC spirit would be to indulge in some brunch options. Tabard Inn, Kafe Leopold, Equinox, Cava Mezze, Juniper, Cafe Milano, to name a few, would be the best places to start your brunch rendezvous
How to reach Washington DC
Flight connectivity to Washington DC from India is quite decent but overpriced. There are no direct flights to Washington DC from India and layovers are the only way to reach the capital city. The demand for flights to Washington DC are not as much as for New York City or Chicago. Hence, the connectivity is also quite poor. There are only a handful of airlines that operate from India to Washington. Airlines such as United Airlines, Air Canada, Emirates, All Nippon Airways, to name a few, are the only ones that have flight services to Washington DC from India. There are no nonstop or flights to Washington DC from India, and usually, a layover or connecting flight is the only way to go. The United Airlines has flight connectivity to Washington DC from Newark. Many of the flights use the international route of Newark to reach Washington DC. Emirates is the only other airline that stops at Dubai for a layover before flying to Washington DC. Cathay Pacific also has flights to Washington DC from Delhi. Mostly, the connectivity is only from the Dubai and Newark international routes to reach Washington DC. The popular route to Washington DC often chosen by travellers is from Newark
Travellers require a transit visa to enter the USA and to reach Washington DC. Since the flights have connectivity from Newark, the non-immigrants are required to show a transit visa to let the authorities know that you are just taking a connecting flight to a different destination. A transit visa is a type 'C' visa where basically, you need to show at the Newark airport that you are just taking a connecting flight to Washington DC. To acquire these, you could apply for them at the American embassy, or you can do it online. The provisions are faster online and would be beneficial to you. The flight duration to Washington DC from India is approximately 17 hours, which is subject to change depending on the availability of flights. Do not expect cheap flight tickets to Washington DC. Not only is the capital expensive but even flight tickets to Washington DC is quite exorbitant. Even the accommodation is high-priced, and it would be best to make flight and hotel bookings to Washington DC well in advance to avoid expensive rates.
About Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is recognised as one of the major American airlines with its headquarters in SeaTac, Washington. The airline works within the Seattle metropolitan area. It is touted to be in the top five of largest airlines list in the United States. The record is with respect to fleet size, passengers carried as on schedule along with the number of destinations it serves. Alaska Airlines also has subsidiaries with regional partners, namely, Horizon Air and SkyWest Airlines. Together, they operate a massive network domestic route. The primary focus is on connecting flights from Pacific Northwest and Alaska that network to over a hundred destinations within the United States, Mexico, Hawai, Costa Rica and Canada. Alaska Airlines' primary hub is at Seattle/Tacoma. It also includes four more hubs within the United States. The airline is currently not part of any of the three big airline alliances. However, it has been revealed that the airline does have plans to join forces with Oneworld by 2021. While it is not part of any of the airline alliances, Alaska Airlines has codeshare agreements with 17 airlines. These airlines include the members of the alliance of Oneworld, Star Alliance and SkyTeam.
The airline's operations commenced in 1944 and have been functioning through 76 years now. Alaska Airlines is headed by Alaska Air Group. The headquarters of Alaska Air Group is located in SeaTac, Washington. In 2018, Alaska Airlines unveiled some plans to construct a 128,000 square-foot to expand the office space and help accommodate the growing workforce. The new building is set to be located adjacent to Alaska's Corporate Headquarters.
Alaska Airlines' livery and logo have been retained for the last 50 years. It has the word Alaska on the front of the fuselage, and an image of a native Alaskan Eskimo sketched on the vertical stabiliser, which is the logo. The addition of Eskimo appeared first in 1972 along with three other logos. All of them are inspired by the Alaskan history, a totem pole, Russian spires and a gold miner. For the logo, the Eskimo is seen wearing a traditional qulittaq, which is a parka with a ruff. After a lot of edits and recommendations, eventually, in 2016, the livery and logo underwent a massive redesign and rebranding. The Alaskan wordmark was streamlined with a simplified design and an Eskimo logo. The ruffs on the parka of the Eskimo received some hues. The fuselage of planes in the Alaska Airlines has a jelly bean design along with waves of shades of blue (navy blue, teal, dark blue and green) flowing on the sides of the vertical stabiliser. Over the years, the airline has introduced Disney and Pixar-themed characters in the liveries.
Fleet size of Alaska Airlines
In total, Alaska Airlines operates about 321 aircraft as part of its fleet. Its primary fleet includes 166 Boeing 737 aircraft that have an average age of 9.1 years and 71 Airbus A320 aircraft with an average of 8.6 years. These are mostly reserved for international routes. Along with this, the airline's regional flights are also operated under the Alaska Airlines brand which operates aircrafts 33 Bombardier Q400 aircraft which has an average of 11.7 years and 30 Embraer 175 aircraft which has an average of 1.6 years. The two planes are Alaska-owned and are used by the regional airlines Horizon Air as well as SkyWest Airlines. As part of the mainline fleet, Alaska Airlines operates all all-Boeing 737 aircraft from 2008 until 2018. After 2018, the airline officially took charge of Virgin America's fleet comprising of the Airbus aircraft. Alaska Airline's long-term strategic plan is to return to its operations of the all-Boeing 737 mainline fleet. The transition to return to an all-Boeing mainline fleet might take a considerable amount of time as much of the Airbus A320 aircraft has been leased.
Contracts of the Airbus A320 family flights will be expiring somewhere between 2021 and 2024. The airline also supports cargo aircraft and includes three Boeing 737-700 freighter jets. These were formerly passenger aircraft, but they converted to cargo aircraft in 19 months between 2016 and 2017. The same was conducted by Israel Aerospace Industries. Alaska has since forever, functioned with various Boeing and Airbus aircraft as part of its fleet. They also had Convair 880 and Convair 990 jetliner in the 1960s. However, they have all ceased to operate since before the 1990s.
Alaska Airlines Baggage Allowance
Passengers travelling with Alaska Airlines are allowed to carry a plus one bag which should be the size of the 22'' x 14'' x 9''. The dimensions need to be followed, and this includes wheels and handles that should be measured ahead of the journey. Along with cabin baggage, Alaska Airlines' baggage allowance also enables you to carry a small handbag or laptop bag. It could also be a briefcase, as long as it can fit under the passenger seat. The Overhead bin can accommodate the carry-on bag while the small bag can be placed under the seat. You must go through the official website of Alaska Airlines to avoid carrying any unnecessary items onboard. The rule to carry one bag along with plus one bag are allowed for all first class, business class and other cabins in the aircraft. The airline also allows its passengers to extend the count for check-in baggage at a nominal fee.
Special baggage that can be carried along onboard is also available. These include bags with bulky and fragile items, perishable goods, sporting equipment and musical instruments. The airline also has special reservations for passengers who have health conditions to carry necessary medical equipment. These include medical syringes and other such medicinal drugs. Wheelchairs and strollers can also be taken within the flight cabin for passengers who have mobility issues or are travelling with infants. Details of regulation regarding special situations can be perused on Alaska Airlines' official website. For check-in bags, the weight of the baggage cannot exceed 23 kg, even for long haul flights taking international routes.
Alaska Airlines In-flight services
First-class - Alaska Airlines' in-flight services are phenomenal and differ depending on the cabin chosen by the passenger. If you are a first-class passenger, you will receive some exquisite perks, including that of priority boarding, complimentary hot meals, beverages and alcoholic cocktails, snacks and towel services. Further, you can also ask for blankets and pillows to make your journey comfortable. The first-class recliner seats are also available which have lavish legroom and privacy.
Premium Class - Instead of a separate business class, the airline directly has a Premium Class which is available on all of Alaska Airlines' mainline and regional aircraft. The premium cabin features some amazing seat pitch which is 35 ft with four more inches in the main cabin. Passengers also receive priority during boarding. In-flight services on Alaska Airlines' premium class include complimentary snacks, alcoholic beverages, fresh food that can be purchased and upgrades for elite fliers who are part of Alaska Airlines' mileage loyalty program. Premium class came into existence by the end of 2015 and has been rolled out since.
Main Cabin - The main cabin is the economy class where the passengers are entitled to receive complimentary snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. You can also order fresh meals, alcoholic beverages along with additional snacks that are up for purchase. All the seats on the main cabin have USB ports as well as power outlets to charge electronic gadgets such as tablets, mobile phones, laptops and more.
In-flight services - Alaska Airlines' in-flight services include complimentary meals as well as light snacks that will be served at the first-class cabin and can be purchased in other classes. The economy class also has "picnic packs" that can be purchased. The food prepared in the airlines has been curated by Seattle-based check Tom Douglas. In terms of entertainment, the airlines have the World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA). They have a hard-drive-based AVOD (Audio Video on Demand) players that offer a slew of films, TV shows and audio programs. Other benefits of Alaska Airlines' in-flight services include WiFi connectivity too. The equipped in-flight WiFi and streaming entertainment system makes networking on flight easier as well as surfing through the internet.
Popular routes and top cities for Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines' domestic routes and international route system has enabled excellent connectivity of more than 115 destinations worldwide. Majorly, the airline, along with its subsidiaries, caters to the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica and Canada. Alaska Airlines is predominantly one of the largest carriers catering to the West coast of the United States of America. The airline has a top presence in cities such as San Diego, Anchorage and Seattle, to name a few.
Why travel by Alaska Airlines?
Alaska Airlines is the perfect carrier for travelling across the West Coast in the United States. The airline connectivity is phenomenal as the domestic routes cover major cities. Not to mention how some of the international routes networks that connect with Mexico and Canada further add to the benefits of travelling by Alaska Airlines. Other perks of Alaska Airlines include web check-in, knowing about the flight status, checking the flight schedule and booking an Alaska Airlines flight online.
