Planning the perfect vacation or business trip often starts simply but quickly descends into endless scrolling, comparing destinations, juggling flight prices, and wading through traveler reviews. The airport experience further compounds this stress, with confusion and congestion adding layers of anxiety for travelers. Unveiling its offering at the recent SXSW 2025 conference, Alaska Airlines is addressing these travel challenges head-on with its new genAI platform that aims to streamline and personalize the trip experience, making it conversational and efficient while reducing the chaos traditionally associated with travel.

Bernadette Berger, Director of Innovation at Alaska Airlines, highlights how guest feedback inspired the creation of this AI-powered tool. “Over the past year, we’ve transformed the ‘Day of Travel’ experience at key airports with rapid, self-serve solutions,” said Bernadette. “The right combination of real-time information, personalized self-serve options, contextualized wayfinding, direct text messages, and carry-on confidence will make for a stress-free and seamless boarding flow.”

Reducing Baggage and Boarding Anxiety

Berger emphasizes that the goal is not to just simplify trip planning but also to improve the entire airport journey. “Our guests value predictability, less time in lines, and fewer manual interactions. AI-driven automation, from bag tagging to boarding, lets travelers spend their time at the airport however they choose, away from crowded gates and queues,” she explains.

To combat boarding anxiety, especially related to carry-on baggage, Alaska Airlines has piloted advanced computer vision at gates to manage carry-on counts accurately. Berger elaborates, “Baggage anxiety causes guests to crowd around gate areas prematurely. By using AI to track carry-on space accurately, we help guests relax, knowing their luggage will fit on board.”

Personalized Navigation and Stress-Free Boarding

One of the biggest stressors travelers face is airport navigation and gate congestion. Berger says, “Congestion and confusion are top concerns for our guests. AI allows us to provide personalized, contextualized information directly through our app. Imagine being at a café, getting a text with a gate-change notification, and being shown exactly how long your walk will take.”

The company is also launching an AI-powered wayfinding tool within their app, designed to cater specifically to diverse traveler needs. “Whether you’re navigating with children, require accessible routes, or prefer directions in another language, our personalized AI navigation tool significantly reduces airport stress,” Berger notes.

A Human-Centric AI Strategy

AI integration at Alaska Airlines isn’t about replacing human interaction, but enhancing it. Berger highlights the airline’s AI strategy as follows: “We’re transforming customer service agents into hosts, shifting repetitive tasks to automation. This lets agents focus on meaningful, personalized interactions. Not all guests require personal attention, but when they do, the difference can be profound.”

Alaska Airlines maintains rigorous standards for the ethical use of AI, guided by the NIST AI Risk Management Framework. Berger explains, “Transparency, fairness, and security are cornerstones of our AI implementations. We rigorously monitor our AI applications to ensure they meet high standards of ethical responsibility and customer trust.”

The Future of AI in Travel: Personalized Digital Assistants

Looking to the future, Berger is excited about “AI Agentics”, envisioning personalized digital assistants that seamlessly guide travelers throughout their entire journey. “Imagine planning family trips effortlessly, with your AI agent adapting plans instantly in response to disruptions and suggesting unique, less crowded destinations to help tackle overtourism,” she envisions.

Airlines around the world are already beginning to explore similar approaches. Expedia’s AI integration and KLM’s AI-driven baggage management highlight broader industry trends toward automated personalization. Alaska Airlines is aiming to further push the innovative envelope in travel by aiming for comprehensive AI integration from booking to boarding and beyond.

Berger summarizes the company’s vision succinctly, “Our ultimate goal is reducing travel anxieties and enabling deeply personalized, enjoyable travel experiences. At its core, AI is about enhancing humanity in travel, not replacing it.”

KENAI, Alaska (KTUU) – Alaska State Troopers received a report of a fatal avalanche in Turnagain Pass. According to a dispatch by AST, witnesses told Troopers they witnessed the juvenile male trigger the avalanche and be buried in the snow.

AST said in a dispatch the body of the young man is located in an unstable area. The Alaska Rescue Mountain Group will attempt to safely recover his body on Sunday.

Next of kin have been notified. We will continue to update this article as more information becomes available.

See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com

Copyright 2025 KTUU. All rights reserved.

In the days since scientists warned that Mount Spurr, Anchorage’s closest volcano, is likely to erupt within “the next few weeks to months,” Southcentral Alaska residents have snapped into preparation mode.

Here’s what residents should know to protect their children, pets, homes and vehicles from about one-eighth of an inch to a quarter-inch of ash that scientists say is likely to coat Southcentral Alaska in the near future.

The basics

Mount Spurr sits 78 miles northwest of Anchorage at the southernmost end of the Tordrillo Mountains, and is visible from the city on clear days. Its Crater Peak, the southern vent of Spurr volcano, has erupted four times in the last 100 years: in 1953, and three times in 1992. In two of those eruptions, about a quarter-inch of ashfall rained down across Southcentral communities for several hours, temporarily shutting down airports, offices and schools, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory. The cost of cleanup in 1992 was about $2 million.

The most widespread hazard for Alaskans if Mount Spurr erupts will be from volcanic ashfall, according to an FAQ published by the state’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

The ash — which is made up of pulverized jagged rock, mineral and glass — can impair visibility, labor breathing and damage lungs, and fail engines in cars and planes, the FAQ says.

Official ashfall warnings will be issued by the National Weather Service’s Anchorage Forecast Office, and will include where ash is expected to fall, when and how much.

According to an ASH ALERT! advisory published by the state on March 10, residents are advised to prepare disaster supply kits with standard items including two weeks’ worth of nonperishable food, water, flashlights and external cellphone chargers.

Additional, volcano eruption-specific supplies include N95 masks for adults and children, spare air and oil filters, washer fluids for vehicles, and plastic sheeting to protect outdoor equipment.

[Previously: A Mount Spurr eruption is ‘likely’ within weeks or months, scientists say]

Transportation

Ashfall poses the most lethal threat to aviation, experts say.

Airborne ash can damage visibility, impair flight control systems, and cause jet engine failure, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

During the 1992 Spurr eruption, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport shut down for 20 hours, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory.

In the event of an ashfall that’s carried by winds southeast, toward Anchorage and its surrounding area, the National Weather Service’s Anchorage office would issue an ash warning. Planes in the area would likely be grounded as a result.

Ash can also make roads slippery, reduce visibility and damage vehicles.

During an ashfall, the state recommends Alaskans stay off the road. Afterward, vehicle owners are advised to wash their vehicle thoroughly with water, and change their oil, oil filter and air filters.

Do not attempt to dry brush ash off a vehicle or it will scratch, mechanics and car parts salesmen said. The same goes for windshields: use wiper fluid anytime you use your wipers to avoid scratching your windshield.

John Hennessy, a salesperson at O’Reilly Auto Parts on Northern Lights, said there’s been a surge of customers coming in for certain vehicle products.

Air filters, cabin filters, car covers, engine covers, washer fluids “and for some weird reason, antifreeze” have been flying off the shelves in the past week, Hennessy said. “Some of them are getting ready for doomsday,” he said.

Pets

Pets and livestock, too, should be kept inside or sheltered from ashfall as much as possible, vets and state officials warn. Particularly sensitive areas are their eyes, nose and lungs, according to the state’s FAQ.

Livestock, if not covered, should be moved to an area free from vegetation and ash accumulation, according to the state. Animals should not consume food that’s been contaminated by ash.

The Alaska Veterinary Clinic recommends pet owners “immediately wash ash off pet’s fur or skin with clean water if they’re exposed and flush eyes with eye water solution,” according to a fact sheet the clinic prepared. The clinic also recommends pet jackets, or protective clothing, goggles, booties and canine-specific filtered masks to further protect animals.

AK Bark, a pet supply store in Anchorage, is selling all the bells and whistles for pet preparedness, owner Mark Robokoff said this week.

He said his store has sold roughly 800 canine masks, 100 pairs of goggles, and tons of dog booties since the Alaska Volcano Observatory’s announcement. They also carry power-washers to clean paws, ear muffs, full-body raincoats and pee pads, he said.

The key, Robokoff said, is to get dogs comfortable wearing the gear beforehand, so they’re not stressed when and if the time comes.

Homes

Chugach Electric Association isn’t anticipating a power outage in the event of an eruption, but said residents should be prepared nonetheless.

“Just because the volcano erupts doesn’t mean there will be a power outage, like it’s not an imminent reaction,” company spokesperson Julie Hasquet said. “It would depend on the amount of ash, and how long it lasted.”

In 2009, the next closest volcano to Anchorage in the chain — Redoubt — erupted, coating Homer, Anchor Point and Seldovia with an eighth of an inch of ash, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory. But it didn’t cause a power outage for Chugach Electric’s 91,000 customers from Anchorage to the northern Kenai Peninsula.

Ash can also clog heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems. The U.S. Geological Survey recommends residents add “temporary filtration” to external air intakes, and to monitor and vacuum excess ash from the air intakes regularly.

Joe Atafua, store manager for the O’Reilly Auto Parts location on DeBarr Road, said a lot of customers have been coming in asking for pantyhose to use as temporary filters on engines and HVAC systems. As a result, he’s looking into sourcing a bulk order, he said.

Schools

Local school districts have communicated tentative action plans to families this week in the event of an eruption.

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District and Anchorage School District each said they will base their actions on several variables.

“Depending on the time of day, size of the eruption, and anticipated weather pattern related to any ash fall, potential responses may include school cancellations, early dismissal, or shelter-in-place protocols,” Mat-Su Borough School District spokesperson John Notestine wrote in a memo to families on March 16.

The Anchorage School District wrote that schools will close if they’re not in session and ashfall is forecast, and release kids early if they are in session and ashfall is imminent, according to a March 21 notice.

Every ASD school also has a volcano response plan with shelter-in-place procedures and air quality measures, the notice reads.

Next steps

Mount Spurr hasn’t shown any dramatic changes in the past week, according to Matt Haney, scientist-in-charge at the volcano observatory, jointly run by the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute and the state Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys.

His team was conducting another flight over the volcano on March 21 to measure gas levels, which contribute to eruption likelihood, he said.

Scientists are also actively monitoring seismic data from Spurr that’s remotely captured and transmitted to the group’s Anchorage office in real time.

“We’re looking for a particular signal called volcanic tremor, that one often sees before volcanoes kind of make the final push towards going to an eruption,” Haney said on March 20. “We have not seen that yet.”

Based on past volcanic eruption behavior, there should be ample time to send out warnings before an eruption, Haney said. Volcanic tremors started three weeks before the June 1992 Spurr eruption, and two months before Redoubt erupted in 2009.

“It just doesn’t happen without any warning,” he said.