Alaska Airlines Board of Directors Elects New Inflight Vice President

On March 23, Alaska Airlines announced that Travis Gelbrich will serve as the airline's new vice president of inflight. In his new role, Gelbrich will provide strategic and operational leadership to the inflight division and oversee Alaska's 5,600 flight attendants.

Gelbrich was previously the managing director of Alaska's Guest Customer Assistance, Research and Experience (CARE), where he led 1,400 employees in reservations, customer service, and central bagging service, a role he has had since 2018. He joined Alaska Airlines in 2016 as the managing director of customer experience and design, where he led improvements to the guest experience, implemented new guest satisfaction measures and significantly improved how the company listens to and acts on guest feedback. Prior to joining Alaska, Gelbrich worked 20 years at Microsoft in multiple leadership roles focused on customer service, experience and advocacy.

"Travis is highly respected for delivering results, while engaging his teams and working together toward a common goal," said Gary Beck, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Alaska Airlines. "He has built his career on creating a culture where employees feel valued, heard and empowered to do the right thing."

Gelbrich holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Gonzaga University and graduate certificates from the University of Washington and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a certified customer experience professional from the Customer Experience Professional Association. Originally from Ketchikan, Alaska, Gelbrich worked at the Ketchikan International Airport during summers, while in high school.