Air Travel

An airplane equipped with instruments to allow for flight in cloudy conditions is ready for passengers at the Haines airport on Thursday. (Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)

Local air carrier adopts new tech with aim to make travel in Southeast Alaska safer, more reliable

More precise GPS, FAA OK for new routes expected to lead to fewer cancellations, increased safety.

 

This photo released by the National Transportation Safety Board shows a gaping hole where the paneled-over door had been at the fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 on Sunday in Portland, Ore. A panel used to plug an area reserved for an exit door on the Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliner blew out Jan. 5, shortly after the flight took off from Portland, forcing the plane to return to Portland International Airport. (National Transportation Safety Board via AP)

Juneau again avoids cancellations as Alaska Airlines extends Max 9 groundings through Saturday

Flights Thursday, Friday rebooked on different plane; next potentially affected flights on Monday.

 

Alaska Airlines planes park at the gates at Juneau International Airport in July of 2022. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Two Juneau flights on Max 9s scheduled Tuesday rebooked on different planes

No local flights cancelled yet due to grounding of fleet, next Max 9s scheduled Thursday and Friday.

 

Alaska Airlines flight 1276, a Boeing 737-900, taxis before takeoff from Portland International Airport in Portland, Ore., on Saturday. The FAA has ordered the temporary grounding of Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft after part of the fuselage blew out during a flight. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)

Alaska Airlines again grounds all Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliners as more maintenance may be needed

Alaska Airlines again grounded all of its Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliners on Sunday after federal officials indicated further maintenance might be required to assure… Continue reading

Alaska Airlines flight 1276, a Boeing 737-900, taxis before takeoff from Portland International Airport in Portland, Ore., on Saturday. The FAA has ordered the temporary grounding of Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft after part of the fuselage blew out during a flight. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)
Alaska Airlines planes are shown parked at gates at sunrise, March 1, 2021, at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Seattle. An Alaska Airlines flight made an emergency landing in Oregon on Friday after a window and chunk of its fuselage blew out in mid-air, media reports said. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

No Juneau flights among those cancelled Saturday by grounding of Boeing 737 Max 9s

First local flights aboard Max 9 scheduled Tuesday; Alaska Air hopes fleet inspections done in days.

Alaska Airlines planes are shown parked at gates at sunrise, March 1, 2021, at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Seattle. An Alaska Airlines flight made an emergency landing in Oregon on Friday after a window and chunk of its fuselage blew out in mid-air, media reports said. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
From left, American Airlines CEO Doug Parker, Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly and United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby testify before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation in the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on Dec. 15, 2021 in Washington. Kirby said Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023, that other airlines won’t be able to handle all the flights they plan to operate this year, leading to more disruptions for travelers. (Tom Brenner/The Washington Post)

United Airlines CEO warns travelers more disruptions ahead

United, Alaska, Spirit and Frontier had double-digit percentages of cancellations in late December.

From left, American Airlines CEO Doug Parker, Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly and United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby testify before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation in the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on Dec. 15, 2021 in Washington. Kirby said Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023, that other airlines won’t be able to handle all the flights they plan to operate this year, leading to more disruptions for travelers. (Tom Brenner/The Washington Post)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Amy Nye and her family await a ride after flying to Juneau from Seattle Wednesday morning. Juneau International Airport Manager Patty Wahto said no flights in or out of Juneau have been delayed due to the overnight outage to the Federal Administration Aviation Notice to Air Missions System caused more than 8,300 delayed flights and 1,200 cancellations across the U.S.

Juneau flights spared worst of U.S. flight disruptions

Airport manager monitoring situation after FAA system outage causes

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Amy Nye and her family await a ride after flying to Juneau from Seattle Wednesday morning. Juneau International Airport Manager Patty Wahto said no flights in or out of Juneau have been delayed due to the overnight outage to the Federal Administration Aviation Notice to Air Missions System caused more than 8,300 delayed flights and 1,200 cancellations across the U.S.
An Alaska Airlines flight lands at the Juneau International Airport. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for much many parts of the country from Thursday through Saturday. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

Worsening weather means travel plans could be up in the air

Travel experts advise checking holiday plans and checking them twice.

An Alaska Airlines flight lands at the Juneau International Airport. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for much many parts of the country from Thursday through Saturday. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
Juneau International Airport is expected to be busy during Thanksgiving holiday week amid lax COVID-restrictions. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Juneau International Airport prepares for busy holiday

Long-term lots expected to be full.

Juneau International Airport is expected to be busy during Thanksgiving holiday week amid lax COVID-restrictions. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
An Alaska Airlines flight lands at the Juneau International Airport on Monday, Nov. 22, 2021, amid a day of rain and snow. According to an airlines spokesperson, air travel this holiday season has rebounded to about 85% of what it was before the pandemic. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

Air travel numbers are up, still lagging pre-pandemic levels

More than reindeer fly this time of year.

An Alaska Airlines flight lands at the Juneau International Airport on Monday, Nov. 22, 2021, amid a day of rain and snow. According to an airlines spokesperson, air travel this holiday season has rebounded to about 85% of what it was before the pandemic. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
Alaska Seaplanes is helping form a new airline, Aleutian Airways, which will serve the Anchorage- Unalaska route beginning soon. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Juneau-based airline expands to Southwest Alaska under new flag

The focus is initially going to be on a single service route.

Alaska Seaplanes is helping form a new airline, Aleutian Airways, which will serve the Anchorage- Unalaska route beginning soon. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Alaska Seaplanes held a cookout in Tenakee Springs on June 9, 2021, to celebrate the debut of a new seaplane in their fleet in one of the communities that aircraft will serve. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Company holds cookout in Tenakee Springs for new aircraft

Free rides and free food.

Alaska Seaplanes held a cookout in Tenakee Springs on June 9, 2021, to celebrate the debut of a new seaplane in their fleet in one of the communities that aircraft will serve. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)