Alaska cancels 41 flights - volcanic ash

In the early 1980s, we learned, in the most visceral of fashions, what volcanic ash can do to an airliner. A British Airways Boeing 747 lost power in all four engines over Indonesia when the stuff all but ground down the powerplants. The crew was able to salvage the situation, by diving the aircraft out of the ash cloud, but it was close - very, very close.

Since then airlines have been understandably wary of volcanic activity. To that end - through at least early this morning (Monday, August 11) - Alaska Airlines has canceled 41 flights to and from Adak (ADK), Anchorage (ANC), Fairbanks (FAI), Kethican (KTN), Juneau (JNU), and Sitka (SIT).

AS (that's the carrier's code) canceled the flights because of safety concerns, after Kasatochi volcano in the Aleutians erupted. The specific concern is that ash, at altitude, could affect flights.

Hit by the cancellations were flights between Alaska and Denver (DEN), Los Angeles (LAX), Portland (PDX), San Francisco (SFO), Seattle/Tacoma (SEA), and Vancouver (YVR). Alaska hopes to resume its Alaska schedule later today.

What to check on the status of your flight up North? Visit www.alaskaair.com.

© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler