Alaska Airlines decides to keep Twin Cities route

Alaska Airlines' new daily service between the Twin Cities and Seattle will not be affected by the expansion of a marketing partnership with Delta Air Lines.

On Oct. 26, Alaska started twice-daily service from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to Seattle with Boeing 737-800s.

"In terms of bookings, I think it is exhibiting pretty much of a typical new market start-up," Alaska CEO Bill Ayer said in a Monday conference call. "So far, we are pleased with how it's doing."

Twin Cities passengers now have three choices for nonstop service to Seattle: Northwest Airlines, Sun Country Airlines and Alaska.

Northwest, which was acquired last month by Delta, competes for passengers with Alaska.

For now, the Twin Cities-Seattle route is excluded from Alaska's code-share agreements with Northwest and Delta, in which they sell tickets on each other's flights.

Delta CEO Richard Anderson said that he was interested in strengthening the alliance with Alaska because Alaska's West Coast passengers provide a good market for Delta's international service.