ANCHORAGE (KTUU) – Alaska Airlines’ cargo service in Alaska has been affected by a warning on passenger jets converted to freighters, though a spokesperson for the company says they hope to soon be back at capacity.
Three of Alaska Air’s freighter planes were taken out of service last week after the company that retrofitted the 737-700s warned the company about a potential problem with a rigid barrier wall that separates the cargo from the cockpit. The barrier prevents cargo from shifting forward in the event of extreme deceleration, according to a statement from Alaska Air Cargo on its website.
Alaska Air found out about the issue on December 10, and pulled the three planes from service, says spokesperson Tim Thompson.
Passenger planes were used to transport high-priority freight in the meantime, though the company briefly stopped taking new shipments in an order to clear the backlog caused by the reduction.
The three affected planes were put back into service on Saturday, December 14 after they received an Airworthiness Directive from Civil Aviation Authority Israel, which oversees the company that performed the upgrades, and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, and after an internal assessment by Alaska Airlines.
The disruption to some types of shipments continues, as the airline is currently not accepting General and Club 49 shipments to, from and within Alaska. The company is also limiting the loads on the planes.
Alaska Airlines is posting updates here.
“In addition to the freighters, Alaska will provide freight service on scheduled passenger flights when space is available,” Alaska Air wrote in an email.
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