Freezing rain impacting SEA/PDX travel

Freezing rain impacting SEA/PDX travel

Time Stamp: December 23, 2022 6:09 AM
Source Node: 1783541

Alaska AIrlines issued this weather advisory for Seattle/Tacoma and Portland, OR:

WEATHER UPDATE: Freezing rain and snow are causing icy conditions in the Portland and Seattle regions, which has significantly impacted our operations Friday.  All Alaska and Horizon flying into and out of Portland has been canceled until noon Pacific Time on Dec. 23. In Seattle, we’re thinning our schedule significantly throughout the morning hours to allow additional time to deice aircraft. We’ve canceled 270 flights scheduled to operate in Portland and Seattle on Friday, with additional cancellations and delays expected if the weather doesn’t improve.

Capt. Bret Peyton, a 22-year Alaska pilot, explains what freezing rain is and why it’s so challenging to our operation. Read more here.

Winter weather advisories are in place for Seattle and Portland, which may impact travel for pets and unaccompanied minors. Due to winter weather, flexible travel policies are in place for travel to/from Seattle (SEA) and Portland (PDX) and a number of Midwest and Northeast airports.

Updated @ 12:00 AM PT on 12/23.

Generally, freezing rain is more challenging than snow and causes airline operations to slow down significantly or even halt completely until weather conditions improve.  Aircraft must be completely clear of ice or snow to maintain the aerodynamic integrity and be safe for flight. It generally takes longer to clear an aircraft of ice than it does to clear it of snow.

While it is never our goal to disrupt someone’s flight, especially around the holidays, the safety of our guests and employees is our highest priority. If you are traveling this week, we encourage you to check the status of your flight before heading to the airport and take advantage of our flexible travel waiver, which has been extended and now includes Portland and Seattle, to rebook your travel.

Here’s what to do if your flight is impacted and a look at our strategy to fly in winter weather:

Should your flight cancel, you can rebook your trip online or on Alaska’s app

If your flight is impacted for any reason, you should receive a notification from our team and an accommodation on a new flight. If you need to make further changes, you can use our app or go online to rebook your travel.

Should you wish to hold the value of your ticket(s) and decide to move your trip to a future date, you may place the value of your ticket in your Mileage Plan Wallet for future use or request a full refund by viewing our refund options.

Take advantage of our flexible travel waiver

Sometimes things like winter weather force you to adjust your travel plans. In those instances, we have a flexible travel policy you can use to waive the difference in the price of a new ticket (rules apply) and as always, we don’t charge change fees. Learn more

Download Alaska’s app

Our app is the perfect tool to have on hand when you fly with us. You can use it to check in, pay for bags and stay up to date on any changes to your reservation—it’s like having a travel agent at your fingertips.

Pro-tip: Turn on app notifications to get alerts from us + retrieve your boarding pass in one easy swipe on your home screen.

Sign up for flight notifications

Stay in the know by signing up for flight notifications via text or email. Unless otherwise noted, we will use your primary email address linked to your reservation for all communications.

If you’re using the app, be sure to refresh your reservation frequently and check your messages!

Call us, if you can’t rebook online

While we understand your first reaction might be to call our reservations team when your flight has been canceled, we’ve found you can save time by rebooking your trip online or on our app.

If your flight is impacted, you should receive a priority phone number to call via email if you’d like to discuss alternate options with one of our reservation agents—who are a constant and dependable source of reassurance and help when you need it most.

For all other reservation questions, guests can call 1 (800) 252-7522.

Why do the impacts feel worse in Seattle?

Seattle is Alaska’s hometown, and our operations represent the largest percentage (by a wide margin) of departures and arrivals at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) compared to other airlines. Because of this, more of our guests are impacted when something impacts operations at Seattle. If another airline’s main hub got hit with a snowstorm, hurricane or power outage, they would be disproportionately impacted.

For context, SEA has a very small footprint by acreage compared to other metropolitan airports. This constrains our ability to deice our entire schedule of flights in wintry weather. Because the space doesn’t allow for that type of volume, we have to thin out our schedule to keep planes moving.

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