Source: Hawaiian Airlines
- For the first time, Hawaiian Airlines employees joined Alaska Airlines in the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade, where thousands gathered to watch the festivities. As the title sponsor, Alaska Airlines is honored to celebrate the Year of the Snake and its significance in Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean traditions.
Summary
From Seattle to San Francisco, we welcomed the Year of the Snake with vibrant celebrations that united our employees and communities in joy and tradition
The San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade sees over 1 million spectators each year and is the largest of its kind outside of Asia.
As the vibrant parade marched through the streets of San Francisco, the air filled with the rhythmic sounds of gongs and the cheers of onlookers, Grace felt an overwhelming sense of pride. As a Hawaiian Airlines flight attendant, she was honored to represent not just Hawaiian but also Alaska Airlines.
Together, for the first time, Hawaiian Airlines employees joined Alaska Airlines for the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade & Festival—where thousands of spectators gathered to watch the dazzling parade. The crowd looked on in awe as the Dance Team performed choreographed routines alongside the company’s striking red and gold snake float.
As the parade’s title sponsor, Alaska Airlines is honored to celebrate not only the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac, but also its significance in the Vietnamese and Korean New Year traditions—embracing all the communities touched by this holiday.
Alaska Records Analyst MyHoa, who celebrates Tết from the first day of the first month of the Vietnamese lunar calendar until at least the third day and has volunteered in the parade’s festivities before, said each year is just as exciting as the last.
“Everyone was waving, cheering, and dancing when our float passed by,” MyHoa said. “Family gatherings mean a lot to me on Lunar New Year. It’s important for me to be part of Alaska Air Group’s Lunar New Year festivities so I can show our community how much our Alaska family cares.”
San Francisco’s weekend festivities weren’t the only way we came together to embrace the new year. Members of our Air Group Pan Asians (AGPA) business resource group kicked off the celebrations with a mesmerizing Lion Dance performance at our Seattle headquarters, bringing the same energy and joy to employees.
California’s Public Affairs team hosted a thoughtful brunch in San Francisco’s Chinatown, bringing together community leaders from the local Asian American and Pacific Islander community. The team surprised organizations — Very Asian, Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco and Asians Are Strong — with 200k miles to further their missions. Led by Managing Director David Tucker and Public Affairs Senior Manager J’Keren Sears, the team also welcomed filmmaker Sean Wang as a special guest to explore the cultural and generational themes behind his film “Didi.”
As Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines continue to come together, events like these highlight the deep connections we share in culture, tradition and community. With the Year of the Snake symbolizing strength and prosperity, we look forward to an exciting year ahead—united in our commitment to uplifting the communities we serve.
