Alaska Airlines Cancels Flights Due to Volanic Ash

Alaska Airlines cancelled 19 flights this morning due to volcanic ash stemming from the eruption of Mt. Redoubt near Anchorage.

In a statement, Alaska Airlines says that travelers headed to Anchorage or departing from Anchorage to Bethel, Deadhorse, Kodiak, Nome, Kotzebue and Barrow will be impacted until further notice. Travelers can check the status of their flight at alaskaair.com or by calling 1-800-ALASKAAIR. The airline said it was making every effort to re-accommodate passengers.

Overnight, the volcano erupted five times. At approximately 4:30 a.m. PST, Alaska Airlines decided to cancel flights as a precaution. In a statement on their Web site, the airline said it was “monitoring the ash pattern on a continuous basis and hopes to resume flights later when it is safe to do so.” The ash can limit visibility and damage engines.

© Cheapflights Ltd Jennifer Jope