Alaska Airlines Cancels Alaska Flights As Result of Mt. Redoubt Volcanic Ash
3/23/2009 5:04 am (PT)
SEATTLE —Alaska Airlines announced it has canceled 19 flights destined to Anchorage and flights out of Anchorage to Bethel, Deadhorse, Kodiak, Nome, Kotzebue and Barrow. The flights were canceled as a safety precaution related to the pattern of ash at altitude created by the eruption of Mt. Redoubt volcano near Anchorage, Alaska.
As of 4:30 a.m. Pacific time, 19 flights were canceled. The airline is monitoring the ash pattern on a continuous basis and hopes to resume flights later when it is safe to do so.
Travelers are advised to check the status of flights at alaskaair.com or call 1-800-ALASKAAIR. Specific information about making changes to flight itineraries due to these cancellations is available at alaskaair.com.
"We recognize these cancellations will significantly impact our customers intending to travel to or from Alaska," said Ben Minicucci, chief operating officer and vice president of operations. "These decisions are guided by our commitment to safety, and we are making every effort to re-accommodate passengers whose flight schedules have been disrupted."
Volcanic ash poses significant safety concerns to aircraft both on the ground and in the air as it limits visibility and damages engines. Precautions and continuity plans were put in place as early as January 2009 in the event of a volcanic eruption. Aircraft in Anchorage have been serviced and wrapped in protective sealant. In addition, safety masks, goggles and other supplies are on hand to protect customers and employees from volcanic ash.
Alaska Airlines operates up to 50 flights a day to Anchorage and two flights a day to Kodiak, Alaska.
Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together serve more than 90 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Traditional Network Carriers (tie)" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 North America Airline Satisfaction StudySM. For reservations, visit alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at alaskaair.com/newsroom.
