Jason Berry named COO of Alaska Airlines, retains group cargo role

Jason Berry, currently President of Horizon Air and Executive Vice President of Cargo at Alaska Air Group, has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Alaska Airlines. He will continue to lead the cargo business for the group.

Berry succeeds Constance von Muehlen, who is retiring after nearly 15 years with Alaska Airlines. Von Muehlen joined the company in 2011 and became COO in 2021, steering the airline through a period of significant growth and transformation.

“Her leadership has been instrumental in advancing safety, reliability, and innovation across the airline’s operations,” Alaska Air Group said in an official statement.

Berry’s role will be effective November 3, 2025, with von Muehlen staying on until February 2026 in an advisory capacity to support a seamless transition.

Over the last year, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines teams have worked together to build and execute the plan to become a single mainline operating carrier under a single operating certificate (SOC) from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is anticipated later this year.

“Constance will retire after Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines achieve a single operating certificate this fall, then stay on in an advisory role into early 2026. I am deeply grateful for Constance’s contributions during an exceptionally dynamic time for our company and industry,” Ben Minicucci, president and CEO of Alaska Air Group wrote in a LinkedIn post.

“These transitions mark an exciting moment for Alaska Air Group, and the milestone of a single operating certificate is a natural time to evolve our leadership team as we grow into a global premium airline,” Minicucci said in an official statement.

Andy Schneider and Constance von Muehlen

In December 2023, Alaska Air Group announced its decision to acquire Hawaiian Airlines. The $1.9 billion acquisition was completed in September 2024 following regulatory approval. The company stated that the two airlines will operate as a single entity while retaining their individual public-facing brands, Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines, after securing a SOC from the FAA.

Berry joined Alaska Air Group subsidiary Horizon Air in February 2023 after leading Air Canada’s cargo business for just over two years. This marked his second stint with Alaska Air Group, where he previously spent more than six years heading cargo operations at Alaska Airlines and nearly two years as President of McGee Air Services, the group’s wholly owned subsidiary providing airport and aviation services across North America.

Following the completion of its merger with Hawaiian Airlines last year, Alaska Air Group appointed Berry as Executive Vice President of Cargo and brought in Ian Morgan as Vice President of Cargo to lead the newly combined cargo division of Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines.

“Berry brings deep operational expertise and a strong track record of leading teams with heart and precision. His experience spans cargo, ground services, and regional operations, including leadership roles at Air Canada, Cargolux and McGee Air Services,” an official statement said.

A year after acquiring Hawaiian Airlines, in December 2024, Alaska Air Group launched “Alaska Accelerate,” a three-year strategic plan aimed at delivering $1 billion in incremental profit. During the launch presentation, Berry proposed that the cargo business is poised to grow in strategic importance for the group and contribute $150 million in incremental profit.

With the acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Air Group inherited its cargo partnership with Amazon. As a result, the group now operates 10 Airbus A330 converted freighters under contract to support the e-commerce giant’s package delivery network. Alaska has also expanded its footprint in Asia, launching direct flights from Seattle (SEA) to Tokyo Narita (NRT) and Seoul Incheon (ICN), offering substantial belly-hold cargo capacity aboard its Boeing 787 aircraft.

“This is an incredibly exciting time at Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines. As we move toward the next integration milestone, a single operating certificate, we’re bringing together incredible frontline teams who will continue to lead the industry in safety, remarkable customer service and operational excellence,” Berry said. “I am excited for the new role,” he said in a message to The STAT Trade Times.

“It has been an absolute privilege to lead Alaska’s frontline teams these past 5 years — out of the pandemic, into an integration and always putting safety and excellence at the forefront,” said von Muehlen. “Every day, I get to see how Alaska regularly leads the industry in care and performance, and it’s because of the dedication of thousands of technicians, flight attendants, pilots, customer service agents, dispatchers and everyone in between. I know they will continue this excellence with Jason at the helm.”

With Berry stepping into the COO role at Alaska Airlines, Andy Schneider will be named CEO and President of Horizon Air. Schneider currently serves as senior vice president of people at Alaska Airlines and has played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s culture and talent strategy.

“I am so honoured to be taking on this new role as we build on the great foundation Constance and her team have established and know that Horizon is in great hands with Andy as CEO and president,” Berry added.

Alaska Air Group’s subsidiaries include Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air. McGee Air Services is a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines. The group has its hubs in Seattle, Honolulu, Portland, Anchorage, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, the group now serves more than 140 destinations throughout North America, Central America, Asia and across the Pacific. Alaska Air Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).