 In 1941 , Star Air Service was purchased by Raymond Marshall , a businessman from New York . In 1942 , the airline purchased three other airlines in Alaska , Lavery Air Service , <unk> Air Service , and Pollack Flying Service as well as a hangar at the Anchorage airport . That year , the airline 's name was changed to Alaska Star Airlines . The name Alaska Airlines was adopted on May 2 , 1944 having narrowly beaten a competitor who was also applying for the name . In the 1940s Alaska 's headquarters were in Anchorage . 
