Airline Officials Order Pressurization Checks

Alaska Airlines officials ordered fleetwide pressurization checks Thursday after two of its aircraft experienced cabin pressure problems this week.

On an early morning flight Wednesday from Ontario, CA to Seattle, an Alaska MD-80 diverted to LAX after the flight crew noticed a problem shortly after takeoff.

"There was an indication that the cabin may have been pressurizing at a slower rate than expected," Alaska Airlines spokesman Amanda Tobin to the Associated Press.

That's the second time in as many days an Alaska plane has had a problem with pressurization -- on Tuesday, an Alaska flight returned to Portland International Airport after oxygen masks suddenly dropped down onto surprised passengers 15 minutes after they took off for Denver.

Alaska's pressurization problems began in December, when a crease in the fuselage caused by an errant ramp worker blew out inflight, forcing the airliner to return to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Although the two incidents this week are likely unrelated, Alaska has ordered pressure checks on all its 110 aircraft... just in case.

FMI: www.alaskaair.com