Travel Advisory: Snow continues to fall at Sea-Tac Airport

1 p.m., Feb. 6 update

Alaska Airlines continues to respond to ongoing snowfall at its largest hub. In anticipation of additional flight cancellations expected for this evening, we’re extending our flexible travel policy. That means customers can change or cancel flights online at no additional cost. Learn more here.


7:05 a.m., Feb. 6 update

Snow covers Alaska Airlines plane
Heavy snow fell overnight at Sea-Tac Airport, causing 80+ cancellations.

If you’re traveling from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport or Portland International Airport this morning, chances are your flight is either canceled or significantly delayed.

A strong, overnight winter storm dumped 3-5 inches of snow on Sea-Tac Airport, blanketing planes and ground equipment. The wintry conditions have forced Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air to cancel 82 flights, affecting 10,000 passengers. Additionally dozens of flights inbound to Seattle have been canceled or are being held to prevent gridlock at Sea-Tac.

“The conditions are so severe a Sea-Tac that it’s taking our crews 30 to 40 minutes to deice a single plane,” said Wayne Newton, Alaska Airlines’ managing director of operations – Seattle. “If you don’t have to travel today, it’s a good day to stay home.”

What to do if you’re traveling from Sea-Tac:

  1. Check online to see if your flight is impacted, before heading to the airport. Additional flight cancellations are expected throughout the day.
  2. If you don’t have to travel today, consider changing your ticket. We’re waiving change fees and offering full refunds. Learn more here.
  3. Be safe. If your flight hasn’t been canceled, leave extra time to drive to the airport.

Feb. 5 at 10 p.m.

A winter storm is affecting operations in Seattle, Portland, Eugene and Redmond, Oregon. The National Weather Service forecasts snow and snow showers this evening through tomorrow morning. With snow accumulations between 2-3 inches anticipated, both airlines are thinning out their operations tonight and tomorrow morning to help ease congestion and allow deicing operations to run more efficiently.

Alaska and Horizon have canceled 60 flights in and out of the four airports scheduled to depart tonight and tomorrow morning. The 5,000 affected passengers have been notified and are being reaccomodated on later flights.

Passengers flying into the impacted airports may change their travel plans, without incurring a change fee, for tickets purchased on or before Feb. 4 or may request a refund. Learn more at https://www.alaskaair.com/content/advisories/travel-advisories.

Travelers flying to or from the Pacific Northwest should check the status of their flights before heading to the airport.

 

Comments

  1. I’m in tucson, trying to get home. Placed a call to Alaska at 11:00am and opted to have them call me back. Haven’t heard from them. Tried to go online and change my flight, only being given the option to pay for a changed reservation ($500 or more). Looking for help!!

    1. Alaska has been great to us in these circumstances. Call again, If you already bought the extra ticket, ask them at the counter or use the online. They have been great with these weather problems.

    2. they are slammed with calls, over 90 flights were canceled.. It took them 7 hours to call me back.. Its worth the wait if you can.. I encountered the same with my online search.. So I hunkered down and enjoyed the snow.. good luck getting home

  2. Can’t believe I’m in Buffalo, heading back to Seattle tomorrow and I could be delayed by snow – in Seattle, not Buffalo!

  3. I’m a frequent traveler but not on Alaska and wanted to commend you guys on the good job keeping passengers advised regarding the weather delay this morning on my flight from SEA to PHX. For instance the gate team provided updates to the nearby United club lounge, where I was waiting. We got off about three hours late >> not bad considering the extent of the weather in SEA. Thanks.

  4. seatac needs less stores more deicers. It’s a joke to have to wait 3 hrs to get into the air having waited for the sole de-icer. If they can’t figure it out then ask SVO operations they can deice a plane in 15 minutes.

  5. I am sitting at the airport waiting for a delayed Flight. Alaska airlines is one of the best at keeping you informed of why the delays are occurring. I am confident they will get me home safely.

Comments are closed.