Over the last few years, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has invited some local AvGeeks, who love sharing their airline passion online, to a special gathering. We all meet up airside and get a rundown of the day, go through security, then pile into a few vans and head out to the airfield, all under escort from airport ops. That part alone is pretty entertaining and fun, but it gets better from there.
We got to spend a bit over four hours between runways 16L/34R and 16C/34C, and it was awesome. I just brought my iPhone to share photos on our social media, but luckily our Francis Zera was there too; he takes way better photos than me. It is just a totally different experience to be so close to the aircraft when they taxi, takeoff, and land.
Virgin Atlantic A330B787 with Mt. Rainier in background
It felt like you could reach out and touch the winglets of the wide bodies as they taxied by (I didn’t try). We did get quite a few confused looks by flight crew, followed by many smiles and waves. Of course the ongoing joke throughout the day (at least it was funny to me) was calling out when an Alaska Boeing 737 or Embraer E-175 was taking off — there were lots and lots of those!
Alaska/Horizon E-175Condor A330
Out of all the planes seen that day, the one that excited me the most was the FedEx MD-11. Such a classic. Such a beauty! The second was an Alaska Air E-175 (let me finish …) with the special Horizon Air livery. As an ’80s child, it brought back memories of flying on Horizon’s Dash-8-100s, Metroliners, Fokker F27s, and Fokker F28s.
This year for sure did not disappoint. Check out all the additional photos below!
Recently, Edelweiss celebrated their inaugural flight from Zurich to Seattle using an Airbus A340 (4 engines 4 long haul). I was double excited not only to see a new international carrier start service at my home airport, but they are also using an AvGeek favorite: the A340. Francis Zera (our Editor-At-Large and Director of Photography) and I tag teamed the event and I would say we had a pretty good time.
The fire trucks, ready to go!
Covering an inaugural arrival has become pretty routine: Decorations at the gate (check), you get to go on the tarmac and watch the plane arrive (check), you get to enjoy a water cannon salute (check), there are VIPs who speak at the gate (check), there is a ribbon cutting (check), and there are some sweet snacks to enjoy (check). Not to say inaugurals aren’t exciting, but with this one, I got to experience something new that I was not expecting.
Water cannon salutes are the norm, but this one had a surprise.
Not long before the Edelweiss inaugural to Seattle, I edited and published Francis’ SAS inaugural story. In his piece he described how he got a bit wet from the water cannon salute due to the wind shifting. I was entertained and even laughed, but brushed it off. When we were told where to stand for the Edelweiss’ Airbus A340’s arrival, I went as far as I could towards the runways… which was also very close to one of the fire trucks. I had a fleeting thought about Francis’ water experience, but I figured worst case it might be a little misty. Nope.
SAS returned to Seattle on May 21, 2025, to begin 5x weekly service between Copenhagen and Seattle after a six-year hiatus
With much fanfare, a turret salute from SEA airport firefighters, and plenty of pastries, SAS Scandinavian Airlines resumed it’s Copenhagen to Seattle service after a sixteen-year hiatus using Airbus A350s on the route.
SAS has a long history in Seattle, having inaugurated service to Europe back in 1966, becoming the first carrier to directly serve the Pacific Northwest from the Continent. The Port of Seattle had a publication named the “reporter,” which ran a three-page cover article about the new service in the October 1, 1966 issue.
Pages from the Port of Seattle Reporter, with an article of the 1966 SAS inaugural flight between CPH and SEA
That service ran from 1966 to 2009, when it stopped due to a downturn in passenger traffic due to the global recession.
Therefore, the May 21, 2025 return was something of a triumph for the airline. The event felt buoyant, like a genuine celebration.
China Airlines began service from Taipei to Seattle on July 14, 2024
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) celebrated its 75th anniversary on July 9, 2024, followed by welcoming its fifth new international route this year, with China Airlines’ Taipei (TPE)-Seattle route just a few days later on July 14, using an Airbus A350-900.
The schedule is as follows:
SEA commenced flight operations on July 9, 1949. Things were a lot different back then – the general public was allowed on the ramp to view the aircraft, and the terminal was tiny compared to what it’s become.
A photo from opening day at SEA – Image: Port of Seattle
In 1949, the airport had eight gates and served 130,549 passengers that year. Fast-forward to 2024, and SEA has 89 gates and serves an average of 140,000 passengers every single day.
More interesting factoids: SEA’s first international service was with Japan Airlines in 1959. Today, there are 25 international carriers serving 33 global destinations.
A China Airlines A350 on final to SEA on a flight a few days after the inaugual – figured you’d enjoy seeing at least one photo that wasn’t backlit
Which nicely leads us back to … airplanes!
China Airlines inaugural TPE-SEA flight taxiing to the gate
China Airlines Cargo has long served Seattle; the recent inaugural passenger flight is the airline’s sixth North American destination, and its debut for passenger service to the U.S. Pacific Northwest.
The arriving aircraft received a traditional water-cannon salute from the airport fire department. The late-afternoon sun made for some interesting photo challengesOne of the two ARFF vehicles providing the saluteThe water arch formed a veil in front of the aircraftThe plane was still dripping water as it rolled up to the gate
China Airlines is the third airline to offer direct service to Taipei, competing for passengers with Delta Air Lines and EVA Air.
Workers performed a post-flight walkaround after the engines were turned off
It’s always a fantastic experience to get out onto the ramp for an aircraft arrival, especially an inaugural.
And congratulations to SEA for 75 successful years!
A Lufthansa A350 taxiing to the terminal at SEA on its inaugural flight from Munich
New route launches are always exciting, both for travelers wanting to visit the new location, and for we AvGeeks who get to cover the event itself.
On May 31, Lufthansa launched new nonstop service between Seattle and Munich, using A350s for the route. The airline already provides daily service between Seattle and Frankfurt, with that route having been established back in 2008; it is flown with A330s and A340s.
Flight LH488 arrived at SEA to a traditional water-turret salute from the airport fire department
The new service runs SEA-MUH as flight LH488 on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, departing at 6:50 pm and arriving in Munich at 1:45 pm the following day. The MUC-SEA leg is LH488, running every Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday with a 3:30 pm departure and a 4:59 pm arrival into Seattle.
Don Bunkenburg/Senior Director Sales USA Central, West & Central America Lufthansa GroupRick Duncan/SEA Airport Director, Aviation Business & PropertiesA traditional ribbon cutting was held at the departure gate
Being in the terminal with all my cameras, I couldn’t resist photographing other planes.
Speaking of Germany, Condor also had a plane at the gate for its daily service to Frankfurt
The Lufthansa inaugural marks the third new international service for SEA in 2024 (the first two this year were Hainan’s service to Chonqing and Alaska Airlines service to Toronto), bringing the total to 50 services to 33 international destinations on 25 different airlines.
One of SEA’s airport fire trucks arriving at the gate for the water-cannon salute
Two fire trucks were stationed at each side of the gate to provide an arch via their water cannons for the inaugural arrival.
D-AIXP touching down in Seattle on its inaugural flight from Munich
It was a beautiful day to be out on the ramp to document the arrival.
