Alaska Airlines recognized for firsts.

• Position: Transportation

Alaska Airlines has been named airline technology leader of the year by Air Transport World magazine.

"Although it may not be among the largest in terms of revenue or traffic, Alaska Airlines is a giant when it comes to the introduction of new technology both on and off the airplane," according to the February 2003 issue of Air Transport World.

The magazine cited the following technological "firsts" by Alaska Airlines:

* First carrier to use a head-up guidance system or "fogbuster" to take off and land in Category Ill weather conditions in 1989;

* First North American carrier to sell tickets via the Internet in 1995;

* First carrier to operate a commercial flight using satellite-based navigation in 1996;

* First carrier to check passengers in via the Internet in 1999;

* First carrier to check passengers in via cellphones and PDAs in 2001.

The magazine also cited the debut of Alaska Airlines' "Airport of the Future" concept in Anchorage in 2002, which dispenses with the traditional ticket counter in favor of a series of islands with automated check-in kiosks and baggage collection points. Lastly, editors noted Alaska Airlines' efforts to develop similar satellite-based Required Navigational Performance approaches into San Francisco and Reagan National in Washington, D.C.

"It's a bit humbling to be singled out as the...