Redoubt Blows Its Top, Passengers Stay On Ground

Alaska Airlines canceled passenger flights in and out of the Alaska cities of Fairbanks, Bethel, Prudhoe Bay, Nome, Kotzebue and Barrow on Monday, due to continued volcanic ash caused by Sunday night's eruption of Mt. Redoubt.

The airline continued operating flights south of Anchorage and throughout Southeast Alaska, though officials are keeping close eye on conditions in case the winds shift direction. More than 45 flights were canceled Monday due to the volcanic eruption of Mt. Redoubt affecting approximately 4,000 travelers.

"We are closely monitoring the weather and ash from Mt. Redoubt to assess our ability to safely operate flights in and out of Alaska and we will adjust flights as conditions change," said Ben Minicucci, chief operating officer and vice president of operations. "We are making every effort to re-accommodate passengers whose flight schedules have been disrupted."

Passengers booked on a canceled flight between March 22-24, may rebook prior to March 30, 2009, without penalty or apply for a full refund of the unused portion of their ticket. The airline advised passengers to check the Alaska Airlines Web site for updated information, or sign up to receive status updates via Twitter.

The airline hoped to resume flights Tuesday, though some flights remained on the ground Tuesday morning due to continued uncertainty about the status of the volcano.

FMI: www.alaskaair.com, http://twitter.com/alaskaair