Alaska Airlines Resumes Flights in and out of Anchorage After Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport Reopens

Alaska Airlines resumed flights in and out of Anchorage late Sunday afternoon after Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport reopened for operations. The airport had been closed since Saturday evening because of volcanic ash on runways and surrounding areas that posed a significant risk to operating aircraft.

Alaska Airlines’ first flight to Anchorage is scheduled to depart Seattle at 7 p.m. and arrive at 9:53 p.m. local time. Flights out of Anchorage were expected to begin about 4 p.m. local time. The airline will continue to operate its normal schedule as long as conditions permit. Flight departure information will be posted at alaskaair.com.

"We apologize for the inconvenience to our customers, but their safety is always our highest priority," said Ben Minicucci, Alaska Airlines’ chief operating officer and executive vice president of operations. "Although we are resuming operations in Anchorage, we’re monitoring the ash situation at the airport very closely. If the ash poses a hazard again, we will halt our operations there."

Alaska Airlines canceled 45 flights to and within the state of Alaska on Sunday. Since Mount Redoubt began erupting Sunday, March 22, the airline has canceled about 230 flights affecting more than 10,000 passengers.

Travelers are advised to check the status of their flights before going to the airport at alaskaair.com or by calling 1-800-ALASKAAIR (1-800-252-7522). The airline recommends that standby travelers do not return to the airports in Seattle and Anchorage on Sunday night as it is very unlikely they can be accommodated due to fully booked flights. Specific information about flight changes related to the Mount Redoubt volcano is available at alaskaair.com.

Ticketed passengers who are affected by Mount Redoubt eruptions and scheduled for travel March 28 through March 29, 2009, will be allowed changes without penalty if their new travel is on or before April 5, 2009. A full refund will also be offered for any unused portion of the ticket.

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group , 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 Study(SM). For reservations, visit alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at alaskaair.com/newsroom.

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SOURCE: Alaska Airlines