Passengers on an Alaska Airlines flight traveling from Dallas to Seattle spent the night sleeping on cots provided by the American Red Cross inside the Yakima Air Terminal. The incident occurred after their Boeing 737-900ER was diverted from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport due to severe weather and subsequently grounded by a mechanical issue.
Flight AS322 departed Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on Saturday evening, carrying 127 passengers and eight crew members. The aircraft, registered as N277AK, was en route to Seattle when poor weather conditions forced the crew to abandon their approach. The plane landed safely at Yakima Air Terminal around 9:25 PM local time.
Grounded by Mechanical Fault
While the initial diversion was weather-related, the aircraft remained at Yakima due to a faulty fuel indicator discovered during refueling. Engineers from Seattle were required to inspect the plane, which kept the aircraft grounded overnight. Passengers remained on board for more than two hours after landing and were not permitted to disembark until approximately 12:15 AM.
Alaska Airlines did not provide hotel rooms or meal vouchers for the passengers. A representative reportedly told passengers that rooms were offered initially but later retracted because the airline classified the disruption as outside its control. The carrier’s policy typically excludes weather-related events from compensation, even when subsequent mechanical issues arise.
Emergency Assistance in Yakima
With the terminal unable to accommodate the large group, Yakima Air Terminal Director Christopher Hopkins coordinated with the American Red Cross. The organization supplied cots, blankets, toiletries, baby formula, and water. Staff from Horizon Air, Alaska’s subsidiary, purchased Taco Bell for the passengers on Saturday night. Local authorities provided breakfast burritos the following morning.
Approximately 50 passengers spent the night in the terminal on the cots. The remaining passengers made their own travel arrangements. Passengers were informed that their luggage remained on the aircraft and that leaving the secure area would prevent re-entry due to unmanned TSA facilities.
At around 4:00 AM, passengers were moved out of the secure area. Many slept in an under-construction office and meeting space for the remainder of the night. Maintenance teams arrived on Sunday morning to inspect the aircraft. The plane eventually departed Yakima at 2:02 PM as flight AS9230, landing in Seattle around 30 minutes later.
Yakima is a regular diversion airport for Seattle-bound flights impacted by poor weather. The airport has handled notable diversions before, including two Seattle-bound Delta flights with more than 300 passengers in March this year. These incidents have prompted changes to the airport’s readiness program.
Alaska Airlines determines hotel and meal assistance based on whether a disruption is within its control. The carrier offers complimentary hotel rooms and ground transportation for overnight disruptions it is responsible for, provided passengers are at least 100 miles from home. It also offers meals for delays of three hours or more. However, disruptions caused by weather, air traffic control, and passenger illness are excluded.
Regulatory changes are expected next year under a new Department of Transportation rule. The rule will redefine ten causes excluded from an airline’s control, including unscheduled maintenance that cannot be deferred. This could impact how airlines handle compensation for future disruptions.
Source: Simple Flying
