Alaska Airlines (AS/ASA) recently bid farewell to a significant and cherished member of its fleet, marking the retirement of the original Boeing 737-900 variant. The aircraft, which holds historical significance as the first-ever produced of its kind, was flown to Pinal Airpark (MZJ) in Arizona for retirement on Tuesday, April 8.
The retirement comes just short of what would have been its 22nd anniversary with Alaska Airlines. According to fleet data, this retirement aligns perfectly with its operational schedule, as the aircraft first took flight nearly a quarter-century ago.
N302AS departed from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) under the flight number AS9414 at approximately 11:30. It followed a standard southbound departure path, passing landmarks such as Mount Rainier and the Tahoma State Forest before landing at MZJ.
Prior to its retirement flight, N302AS completed its final day of revenue service, operating flights to San Francisco (SFO), Austin (AUS), Burbank (BUR), and Seattle.
N302AS was one of three 737-900 aircraft in the Alaska Airlines fleet that were built without winglets and lack the structural capability for retrofitting them, making them a fairly rare sight in the skies.
The Boeing 737-900, initially launched as a competitor to the Airbus A321, faced challenges early on due to its limited passenger capacity and initial lackluster sales. It was later supplimented by the 737-900ER, which offered increased passenger capacity and range capabilities.
N302AS was originally used as a prototype for extensive testing of the Boeing 737-900. With its retirement, only four airframes of its kind remain in the airline’s fleet, all scheduled for phased withdrawal by the end of the year.
Cover photo: Sierra Aviation Photography, JetPhotos.
