Pavlof Volcano Eruption Affecting Aleutian Islands Flights
| The eruption of Pavlof Volcano, seen here in a June 10 photo, has affected several airlines' operations in the Aleutian Islands Tuesday. PenAir CEO Danny Seybert says one of the company's pilots saw a plume from the volcano rise to 26,000 feet Tuesday, while ACE Air Cargo sales manager Greg Hawthorne says his company hasn't canceled flights but is been monitoring the situation. (Courtesy Paul Logan / June 25, 2013) |
June 25, 2013
The continuing eruption of Pavlof Volcano in the Aleutian Islands is complicating flight operations for some air carriers serving communities along the chain, airline officials say Tuesday.
In a Tuesday update on Pavlof's eruption, the Alaska Volcano Observatory says seismic activity seen in the last 12 hours has been the strongest yet recorded during this year's event.
"Satellite data and pilot reports indicate a distinct plume extending to the west from the volcano at least and rising as high as 27,000 to 28,000 feet above sea level," the observatory wrote. "This morning, AVO received a report of trace ash fall on the community of King Cove about 30 miles southwest of the volcano."
According to Alaska Airlines spokesperson Bobbie Egan, the airline hasn't seen any direct effects from activity at Pavlof, but a flight operated for the airline by PenAir has had a shift in its itinerary.
"The only impact to them is that they won't be doing fuel stops in Cold Bay," Egan said.
Danny Seybert, the CEO of PenAir, says a flight has been canceled Tuesday, with about half a dozen other flights to Sand Point, Cold Bay and Unalaska rerouted. One pilot for the airline reported seeing a plume from the volcano rise to 26,000 feet.
"We have had a couple flights affected -- one of them turned around and came back this morning," Seybert said.
According to Seybert, PenAir's precautions -- such as refueling in King Salmon rather than Cold Bay -- haven't added much flight time to its operations Tuesday. Most of the ash plumes are high enough that pilots can readily see and avoid them.
"It's not uncommon for us to have a volcano go off on our route structure a couple of times a year," Seybert said.
ACE Air Cargo's sales director, Greg Hawthorne, says that while his company hasn't had any flights canceled, it's still keeping an eye on the situation.
"Any time you have a volcano going off, you always have an issue," Hawthorne said. "We've been watching it since it went off the last time."
Terry Tibbe, the operations manager at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, says no disruptions to Anchorage flights have been reported as a result of Pavlof's eruption. She says airport officials are hoping weather conditions draw ash from the volcano out to sea.
"Hopefully the wind doesn't turn it around," Tibbe said.
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