 Deregulation also brought challenges to the airline , however . The airline was faced with increased competition and inflation that put tremendous pressure on costs , profits and salaries . By 1979 , competitors Northwest Airlines and Western Airlines were both flying wide body McDonnell Douglas DC @-@ 10 jets on the core Anchorage @-@ Seattle nonstop route with additional competition being provided by Wien Air Alaska which had begun flying nonstop jet service between Anchorage and Seattle . Northwest was operating nonstop DC @-@ 10 service on the Fairbanks @-@ Seattle route at this time as well . There were also tensions with unions , particularly mechanics and flight attendants . In 1985 , the company had a three @-@ month @-@ long strike with its machinists . By June the same year , it was able to end the strike by promising to reduce labor costs and maintain peace with unions . In November 1985 , the airline introduced a daily air @-@ freight service called Gold Streak with service to and from Alaska . 
