Innovative Sky-high Coffee Blend: Elevate Your Taste Experience with Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines has developed a solution to tackle one of the numerous drawbacks of flying - drinking subpar coffee. In collaboration with the Portland-based roaster, Stumptown, Alaska has crafted a unique blend that overcomes the negative effects usually associated with coffee served at high altitudes. This specially crafted coffee is designed to counteract the common issues of bitterness and weakness often found in airborne coffee.

The custom coffee, a first for a major airline, will be exclusively served on all Alaska flights, including Horizon Air, its regional carrier, by December 1.

In the sky, taste and smell are closely intertwined, and people's sense of smell is noticeably impacted. This is due to the lower blood oxygen levels caused by pressurized cabins, which reduces the ability to detect odors. Additionally, the extremely dry air of the cabin, with humidity levels lower than the Sahara Desert, also affects the nasal passages.

Alaska turned to Stumptown's Holler Mountain, a medium-dark blend, as the base to combat the effects. They then added punchier notes of marshmallows, browned butter, and toffee, along with a delicate hint of citrus oils and cherry essence. This infusion resulted in a more complex taste when the coffee is consumed in-flight. The coffee has undergone a year of development, during which 20 different versions were tested, including taste tests on flights and blind surveys. Alaska even tested the blend with creamer and Biscoff cookies to ensure the best combination.

However, Alaska is terminating its ten-year alliance with Starbucks, a Seattle-based coffee company, as it enters into a new partnership with Stumptown. Alaska expressed gratitude towards Starbucks and took pride in serving their coffee on board their flights for several years. (Delta Air Lines, which operates a major hub in Seattle, continues to offer Starbucks on its flights).

"Airplane coffee is often a source of amusement for many travelers," stated Edward Russell, editor of the Airline Weekly newsletter for the travel industry publication Skift, in an interview with CNN. "That is why airlines frequently seek to enhance their offerings by introducing renowned coffee brands from around the world. In spite of these efforts, most in-flight coffee options are generally considered subpar."

He expressed skepticism about the appeal of the custom coffee to potential airline customers. However, he viewed the collaboration with Stumptown as a better fit for the airline's core strength, which is promoting businesses from the Pacific Northwest. Alaska Airlines also features other local companies such as Tillamook cheeses, Salt & Straw ice cream, and Straightaway canned cocktails.