Alaska Airlines enters ATL airport ATLANTA, GA (WABE) - By eliminating less profitable routes on the West Coast, Alaska Airlines is expanding to Atlanta. The first flight is taking off today.

The service is between Seattle, one of its major hubs, and Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson International. Ron Calvin, the airline's eastern region director, says the move to Atlanta is part of a recent expansion. He says Alaska Airlines has traditionally flown to western states from Seattle.

CALVIN: "But we never ventured east out of there. So, when you look at truly owning a hub, you need to fly to more than just up and down the west coast to call it a hub."

Alaska Airlines will start with one daily flight between Seattle and Atlanta. The airline has already added service from the west coast to Chicago, Texas and the Washington D.C. area.

The expansion comes as Alaska Airlines cuts back on less profitable flights in California. © Copyright 2012, WABE