A leak in a major fuel pipeline in the Pacific Northwest could cause problems for U.S. travelers during the busiest Thanksgiving air travel week in the past 15 years.
The Olympic Pipeline, which connects a refinery near the Canadian border to terminals in Seattle, Tacoma and other locations in Washington and Oregon, has been shut down since the leak was discovered on Nov. 11. The pipeline is the primary fuel source for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Portland International Airport (PDX).
Since then, crews from BP, which operates the pipeline, have been unable to find the source of the leak, the Seattle Times reported. There is currently no estimated timetable for restoring the pipeline.
Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson issued an emergency order last week to ship more fuel to Southeast Asia, and airlines are carrying extra fuel into airports. Still, the amount of available fuel is well below normal.
Although the airport remains open for business as usual, some flights, including international and long-haul domestic flights, have reportedly had to stop for refueling in recent days.
Southeast Asia’s two largest airlines, Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines, have both warned travelers of trouble ahead.
Delta Air Lines said through a spokesman that it would continue to deliver more fuel to airports, but said some long-haul domestic flights from Southeast Asia would begin making stops for refueling, resulting in changes to flight schedules. Passengers traveling on affected flights should be notified in advance.
“Delta is closely monitoring the repair status of the Olympic Pipeline and has issued a waiver to provide customers with flexibility if schedule adjustments need to be made,” the airline said in a statement.
Alaska Airlines similarly said it is developing contingency plans to ensure service can be “maintained without significant disruption” during the holiday week, including “fuel management strategies such as bunkering on inbound flights to Seattle, evaluating technical stop options along certain routes to save fuel, and maintaining and expanding our trucking operations to bring in additional fuel supplies.”
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United operates up to 25 flights a day from Southeast Asia to its hubs, according to Cirium, and a spokesman said it expected no disruption. American Airlines, which has 20 daily flights from Southeast Asia, said it would add refueling stations to some of its flights.
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“We know this may cause disruption, so we are doing everything we can to keep flights operating and ensure customers have flight options during this important Thanksgiving travel period,” American Airlines said in a statement. “Customers will be notified if they may be affected and should check their flight status on the American Airlines app or aa.com.”
Refueling stations can help airlines save fuel in Southeast Asia, but they can also add an hour or more to some journeys.
According to the Associated Press, PDX does not expect similar problems because the airport is located directly on the Columbia River and can bring in more aviation fuel by barge. It would require 90 fuel trucks to supply half of the fuel used by SEA every day.
Even if you are not transiting through Southeast Asia, your flight may be affected depending on where your aircraft or crew are departing from.
As always, if you’re traveling for Thanksgiving, keep an eye on your reservations and be sure to read any messages from the airline. Be sure to check out TPG’s guidance on what to do if your flight is delayed or cancelled.
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