Alaska Airlines Suspends All Anchorage Flights Due to Volcanic Ash

Travelers advised to check status of flights at alaskaair.com or 800-ALASKAAIR

SEATTLE, March 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alaska Airlines has suspended all flights into and out of Anchorage, Alaska, due to the mid-morning eruption of Mt. Redoubt. Weather reports indicate the ash clouds are moving north and near Anchorage, posing a significant risk to air travel. Flights will be suspended until daylight March 27, 2009.

Travelers are advised to check the status of flights before leaving home at alaskaair.com or 1-800-ALASKAAIR (1-800-252-7522). Specific information about flight changes related to the Mt. Redoubt volcano is available at alaskaair.com.

“We recognize these cancellations will significantly impact our customers intending to travel to or from Alaska,” said Ben Minicucci, Alaska’s chief operating officer. “These decisions are guided by our commitment to safety, and we are making every effort to re-accommodate customers whose travel plans have been disrupted.”

Volcanic ash poses significant safety concerns to aircraft on the ground and in the air, as it limits visibility and damages engines. The airline was forced to cancel more than 45 flights earlier this week due to eruptions from Mt. Redoubt, affecting about 4,000 travelers.

Passengers booked on a canceled flight between March 26 and 27, 2009, may rebook prior to April 2, 2009, without penalty or apply for a full refund of the unused portion of their ticket. Passengers on new reservations and those scheduled for travel after April 2, 2009, who wish to change their flights will be charged the applicable penalty and change fees. Passengers booked on an Alaska Airlines Vacation should contact Vacations at 1-800-468-2248.

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