Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines. Sea and Sky: Juneau's Links to the World. Two regional airlines founded here in the mid-1930's, eventually merged with Alaska Airlines. In that sense, they still serve Juneau today. Each began as a one-plane flying company., Sheldon “Shell” Simmons' Alaska Air Transport Company was fledged on this waterfront. A Stinson seaplane named Patco was blown apart by high winds in 1935. Simmons bought the wreckage for $1. Backed by Juneau investors, he had the plane rebuilt and established Alaska Air Transport, at one time the only flying service in the Alaskan Panhandle., Eblem Jumn-Denulas City M m Callect TNTS OS TOURS TAKU LODGE LASKA AL AINLHE Alaska Airlines ALASKA COASTAL ARINE JUNEAU ALAS AIRLINE Marine Airways took to the skies in the form of a Bellanca seaplane piloted by Alex Holden. The plane was dubbed “Shakey Jake” because it shook and rattled in the air. In 194O, Holden's company merged with Alaska Air Transport to become Alaska Coastal Airlines., Ellis Air Transport, of Ketchikan, later merged with Alaska Coastal to become Alaska Coastal-Ellis, serving all of Southeast Alaska. In 1965 that company became part of Alaska Airlines., Captions , (Left) Top, Shell Simmons and middle, Alex Holden, in the early days. Bottom, after the merger of their companies in 1940. (Top, Shell Simmons Collection: Alaska State Library PCA 356-1038; Middle, Lloyd Jarman Collection: Alaska Sure Library PCA 337-99; Bottom, Shell Simmons Collection: Alaska State Library-PCA 356-1) , (Right, top) The Seadrome Building housing the extensive Alaska Coastal Airlines operation. (Juneau-Douglas City Museum Collection) , (Right, bottom) Old style Alaska Coastal emblem as it appeared on business cards and aircraft. (Jim Ruotsala Collection)