Alaska Airlines comments on holiday-week disruption concerns due to Washington pipeline leak

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Alaska Airlines said it does not expect any disruption in operation through this holiday week because of a leak in a pipeline in Washington, which is raising concern it could impact jet fuel supplies at Seattle and Portland airports.

“We are working to mitigate a potential impact from the Olympic Pipeline fuel leak,” Alaska Airlines wrote to Alaska’s News Source Sunday. “To ensure our scheduled service is maintained without significant disruption, we have implemented contingency plans.”

The contingency plans include tankering in fuel on inbound flights to Seattle, and tech stops on certain routes to conserve fuel. It’s also maintaining and expanding its trucking operation to bring in additional fuel, the airline said.

The airline said tech stops are “a stop at an airport along a flight’s route to add more fuel onboard. The passengers stay onboard.”

The Associated Press is reporting that officials say Portland International Airport does not expect any problems because it can bring in jet fuel on a barge.

The pipeline system has been down since Monday, but there have been intermittent shutoffs since Nov. 11, the Associated Press reported.

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