Alaska Airlines Cancels 11 Flights in Ongoing MD-80 Inspections With FAA

SEATTLE, April 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alaska Airlines canceled 11 flights today as a result of inspections it is conducting with the Federal Aviation Administration to ensure precise and complete compliance with an FAA airworthiness directive related to wire bundling in the MD-80 wheel wells. The FAA inspections are focused on detailed, technical specifications and not safety-of-flight issues.

Alaska Airlines' cancellations Thursday affected three departures from Seattle, two departures each from Portland and Oakland, and one departure each from Anchorage, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento.

The MD-80s will return to service only after they have been inspected and are found to be in full compliance with all technical issues related to the airworthiness directive. Alaska Airlines, which canceled 28 flights Wednesday due to the inspections, is re-accommodating passengers on other flights flown by Alaska or other carriers at no additional charge. Customers are advised to check the status of their flight on alaskaair.com or by calling (800) ALASKAAIR.

Alaska Airlines flies nine MD-80s, which represent about 8 percent of its fleet of 115 aircraft. The carrier has been working with The Boeing Co. and the FAA for two weeks on compliance with the airworthiness directive related to wire bundling and proactively inspected its aircraft March 26 when the issue first became known and found no safety issues.

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air together serve 92 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. For reservations, visit alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at alaskaair.com/newsroom.