AIRLINE REPLACES COFFEE WITH ONE MADE FOR HIGH ALTITUDES

Starbucks fans will no longer get their cup of Pike Place Roast on Alaska Airlines flights. Starting Dec. 1, Alaska will serve a custom blend from Portland-based Stumptown Coffee Roasters on all flights.

The SeaTac-based airline said the contract with Starbucks was up, so it issued a request for proposal. Starbucks had been served on Alaska flights for more than a decade and on Horizon Air, Alaska’s regional carrier, for more than 30 years. Stumptown will also replace Starbucks on Horizon flights.

When the contract expired, Alaska did a market assessment that included Starbucks, according to an Alaska spokesperson, and the airline chose Stumptown.

Three Stumptown coffee blends, including a decaf option, will also be available in Alaska’s lounges at Portland International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport starting Wednesday.

Alaska said high altitudes change how people taste coffee, so since fall of 2022, the custom blend went through flight tests and taste testing with Biscoff cookies. Testing included more than 200 pots of coffee.

“We wanted a crowd pleaser — something that would delight folks who enjoy milder coffees and also speak to guests who enjoy medium-bodied roasts,” Stumptown President Laura Szeliga said in a news release.

A Starbucks spokesperson said Wednesday the company would like “to thank

Alaska Airlines for their partnership and for the opportunity to serve Starbucks coffee aboard their flights.”

Alaska declined to disclose the financial details of the Stumptown partnership.