"Character & Characters is a true joy to read! Bob Serling is literally the only author who could plow past all the corporate sensitivities and typical cautions and craft a truly human book."

John J. Nance

Author, vetran pilot, and ABC World News aviation analyst

Character & Characters: The Spirit of Alaska Airlines
Robert Serling

The rich heritage of one of America’s oldest and most colorful airlines is the subject of the 25th and latest book by noted aviation author Robert J. Serling. Character & Characters: The Spirit of Alaska Airlines was recently released by Seattle-based book publisher Documentary Media.

“Alaska is an airline built from humble beginnings in 1932 by a cast of always dedicated, sometimes quirky and often brilliant characters,” said Serling. “For more than 75 years, it has been an airline that has defied all odds. It has proven to be as rugged, as rich in tradition and as resourceful as its namesake state.”

Much of Alaska Airlines’ history parallels the growth of its namesake state. Born during the Great Depression, the company evolved from a bush carrier to a major airline. It began as a gnat-sized passenger and cargo transportation service connecting remote locations across vast reaches. Since the 1970s, Alaska Airlines has supported the Trans Alaska Pipeline during its construction and operation. The airline has also partnered with others to promote and develop the state of Alaska as one of the nation’s finest tourist destinations. Today, from its headquarters in Seattle, the airline stretches north to Canada and 19 destinations in the 49th state, south along the West Coast and deep into Mexico, to major cities across the continental United States and, most recently, across the Pacific to Hawaii.

In Serling’s view, “Alaska Airlines’ history has been peppered with creative characters whose actions or inventions have become a part of its legacy.” Flight attendants, customer service and reservations agents, pilots, mechanics, dispatchers, baggage handlers, leaders, lenders and others tell the story. “Alaska Airlines is a people business, so I used historical accounts that came from its employees, passengers and associates every chance I could,” Serling said.

Client: Alaska Airlines

496 pages, hardcover with dust jacket, printed on recycled paper, color and b&w images, 6 x 9 inches, ISBN 978-1-933245-11-9