Season 2 is back.
Ice Airport Alaska will chronicle the daily challenges of the airport staff who manage to keep the facility open, freight flowing and passengers flying all despite weather that regularly dips to -38 Fahrenheit and wind speeds that typically exceed 100 mph. A new six part series on Smithsonian Channel.
An episode from Season 1:
Ice Airport Alaska is a 6-part mini-series on the Smithsonian Channel which premiered on November 15, 2020.
Ice Airport Alaska follows operations at Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage, Alaska one of the world’s busiest cargo airports where staff work under harsh conditions with temperatures as low as -38 Celsius and winds over 100 mph.
Welcome to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC), where subzero temperatures and arctic storms are just part of the job description. Keeping things running on the taxiways and in the terminal requires a major league team of workers, from wildlife managers to airfield maintenance crews to police and Customs and Border Protection…and they have their work cut out for them. With 65 major snow and ice events per winter, five million passengers a year, and wild creatures at every turn, the activity at Alaska’s “Ice Airport” never stops.
Video: Episode 1 – Winter is Coming
Alaska Airlines has issued this statement:
We understand there’s considerable damage being reported at Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage, Alaska, due to a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit this morning. There are no reports of any injuries to employees or guests at the airport.
As a precaution, Alaska Airlines is suspending operations at the airport until at least 12:30 p.m. Pacific (11:30 a.m. Alaska) to allow for a thorough safety assessment of the facility and infrastructure. We are pausing arrivals and departures in and out of Anchorage during this time.
Photo: Frank K./Wikipedia.
ANC issued this status report:
The airport is open. The arrivals and departures ramps are closed. The commercial curb where taxis and shuttles arrive is available, follow traffic control.
TSA is screening passengers. Check with your airline for current information.
The N/S Terminals have sustained some cosmetic damage. Water mains were ruptured. All elevators and escalators are out of service. Electrical Power is working, and backup generators are on standby.
Video:
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings (Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo) (New York) has agreed to acquire a new 747-8 freighter from Boeing with delivery scheduled for November 2015. Prior to its expected placement in longer-term ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) service, the company intends to deploy the aircraft in profitable charter operations, taking advantage of the aircraft’s superior fuel efficiency, range, capacity and loading capabilities.
To meet additional charter demand, Atlas Air Worldwide is also returning an owned and unencumbered 747-400 converted freighter to active service. The aircraft is resuming operations this month. At the same time, the company has entered into a short-term operating lease expected to begin in late June for a second 747-400 converted freighter. This lease is intended to replace a similar aircraft, with a lease that expires this month, on terms that are more favorable to the company.
In addition, the company has expanded its Titan Dry Leasing portfolio by acquiring two Boeing 767 aircraft. These will be leased to DHL Express following their conversion from passenger to freighter configuration in the fourth quarter of this year. They complement a Boeing 757 Freighter recently dry leased to DHL by Titan following the conclusion of a previous customer lease.
Fleet Plan Update
By year-end 2015, Atlas Air Worldwide’s cargo operations are expected to include ten 747-800Fs and 23 747-400 freighters. It also expects to have two 747-400s and three 767-300s providing passenger service to the U.S. military and other charter customers.
In addition, the company expects to operate at least 18 customer-owned aircraft in its CMI (crew, maintenance and insurance) operations. These operations include four 747 Large Cargo Freighters for Boeing, two VIP-configured 747-400 passenger aircraft for SonAir, eleven 767 freighters for DHL Express, and one VIP-configured 767 passenger aircraft for MLW Air.
In Dry Leasing, the company anticipates its portfolio to include at least 11 aircraft, including six 777 freighters, two 767 freighters, one 757 freighter, one 737 freighter, and one 737 passenger aircraft.
In other news, Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings announced the placement of an additional Boeing 747-400 freighter into ACMI service.
The aircraft will be operated by Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. to expand its express network for the benefit of DHL Express. Operations are scheduled to begin on July 1, 2015.
When the new service begins, Polar’s express network will consist of six 747-8Fs and seven 747-400Fs in ACMI on behalf of DHL and Polar’s other customers. Atlas also will continue to operate a fleet of eleven Boeing 767 Freighters in CMI service for DHL, including nine in North America and two in the Asia-Pacific region.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 747-87UF N852GT (msn 37571) of Atlas Air taxies at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC).
Atlas Air aircraft slide show: 
Polar Air Cargo aircraft slide show:
Southern Air (2nd) (Cincinnati) has retired its last Boeing 747 freighter. According to ch-aviation, the former World Airways Boeing 747-412 (F) N743WA (msn 26562) was retired to Marana, Arizona on February 3.
Previously Southern Air retired its last Boeing 747-200F freighter (N783SA) on January 5, 2013.
Southern Air streamlined its fleet as part of its Chapter 11 reorganization.
Southern Air now operates a fleet of four Boeing 777F freighters and four 737-400 freighters mainly for DHL.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Sister ship Boeing 747-4EVF ER N558CL (msn 35171) lands at Anchorage.
Southern Air aircraft slide shows:
Horizon Air Industries, Inc. (Horizon Air) (Alaska Horizon) (Seattle/Tacoma) has converted two of seven previously acquired Bombardier DHC-8-402 (marketed as the Q400 NextGen) aircraft options to firm orders. The airline retains its options on another five Q400 NextGen aircraft. Horizon Air and its sister carrier, Alaska Airlines are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group.
Horizon Air’s Q400 aircraft are equipped with Head-up Guidance Systems (HGS) for all-weather operations, Wide Area Augmentation Systems (WAAS) with approach guidance (LPV) for ILS-like landing minima at remote runways and RNP AR 0.1 to fly curved approaches to airports in difficult terrain.
Established in 1981, Horizon Air was acquired in 1986 by Alaska Air Group, Inc., the parent company of Alaska Airlines. At its start, the airline operated two aircraft and served three destinations in Washington state. Today, Horizon flies its 76-seat Q400 aircraft on behalf of Alaska Airlines and serves 43 cities in the western United States, Canada and Mexico. Horizon Air, which is also a codeshare partner of American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, operates both the longest (Seattle to Fresno, 748 miles/1,204 km) and shortest (Pullman to Lewiston, 26 miles/42 km) turboprop routes currently being served by regional carriers in the U.S.
In 2014, Bombardier and Horizon Air signed a five-year heavy maintenance agreement whereby Bombardier will perform heavy maintenance tasks for the airline’s fleet of Q400 aircraft at Bombardier’s service center in Tuscon, Arizona.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) N448QX (msn 4409) arrives in Anchorage, Alaska.
Alaska Horizon aircraft slide show:
Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) and American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth) are expanding their code share agreement on 16 additional routes
According to Airline Route, from December 25, 2014, Alaska will place its AS code on the following American routes:
Los Angeles – Fayetteville
Los Angeles – San Antonio
Los Angeles – Tampa
Los Angeles – Toronto
Los Angeles – Vancouver
Los Angeles – West Palm Beach
In return, American will place its AA code on the following Alaska and Alaska Horizon (Horizon Air)routes:
Salt Lake City – Las Vegas
Salt Lake City – San Diego
Salt Lake City – San Francisco
Salt Lake City – San Jose
Seattle/Tacoma – Kalispell
Seattle/Tacoma – Kelowna
Seattle/Tacoma – Lewiston
Seattle/Tacoma – Pullman
Seattle/Tacoma – Walla Walla
Seattle/Tacoma – Wenatchee
Top Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Alaska Airlines’ Boeing 737-490 N795AS (msn 28890) arrives in Anchorage.
Alaska Airlines aircraft slide show: 
American Airlines aircraft slide show (current livery):
Bottom Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A321-231 N126AN (msn 6313) arrives in Las Vegas.
The Independent Pilots Association, representing the pilots of UPS-United Parcel Service (UPS Airlines) (Atlanta and Louisville) provided an informational picket line yesterday (November 13) at the 2014 UPS Investor Conference. The union issued this statement:
The UPS pilots, represented by the Independent Pilots Association, conducted an information picket at the 2014 UPS Investor Conference held at the Grand Hyatt New York.
“We conducted this picket to inform the investment community that UPS has neglected its airline operations by failing to finalize the pilot contract,” said IPA President, Captain Robert Travis. “We prefer to reach a negotiated agreement with UPS, but with our talks now entering a fourth year, we question whether UPS is equally committed to a resolution.”
“UPS pilots have reaffirmed our intention to fly this Christmas by not seeking a release from the National Mediation Board. This holiday season, we remain committed to safe and reliable delivery,” said Travis. Under the Railway Labor Act a request for release, if granted by the NMB, could lead to a 30-day countdown to a strike, or lockout.
The IPA invites the investment community to learn more about its dispute with UPS at http://www.ipapilot.org. “Investors will want to stay informed. As UPS pilot labor talks continue, we will keep you apprised of developments” said Travis.
UPS and IPA have been following the Railway Labor Act process for the last 39 months; direct negotiations for 29 months and mediated talks for the past 10 months. Direct negotiations began in September 2011 and continued through January 2014. In early 2014, UPS and IPA jointly requested federal mediation. The National Mediation Board docketed the case in February 2014 and assigned a staff mediator to oversee further negotiations. The parties have been in mediated talks since February 2014.
The Independent Pilots Association represents the 2,600 pilots who fly globally for United Parcel Service.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 747-4R7F N582UP (msn 29053) lands in beautiful Anchorage, Alaska.
UPS aircraft slide show: 
Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) on March 11, 2015 will begin daily nonstop service to Dulles International Airport from its SeaTac hub.
With the launch of Alaska’s Dulles flight next spring, Alaska customers will have nonstop access to all three D.C.-area airports from Seattle/Tacoma, including Reagan National Airport and Baltimore-Washington International Airport – more flights than any other carrier.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-890 N592AS (msn 35190) with Aviation Partners Boeing Split Scimitar Winglets arrives in Anchorage.
Alaska Airlines aircraft slide show:
FedEx is expanding solutions for global customers who need their critical deliveries to arrive as early as the start of the next business day.
FedEx Express (Memphis), a subsidiary of FedEx Corporation, and the world’s largest express transportation company, is broadening the FedEx ‘International First®’ early delivery service, increasing the number of origin markets to include the following:
Austria
Bahrain
Belize
Bolivia
China
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
El Salvador
Finland
Guiana (Guyana)
Guyana
Honduras
Hungary
India
Indonesia
Korea
Kuwait
Malaysia
Nicaragua
Norway
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Portugal
Poland
Singapore
Suriname (Surinam)
Sweden
Thailand
United Arab Emirates
This expansion brings the total number of origin markets to 97, and means that customers can now use FedEx International First to ship packages from the above countries to any of the existing International First destination markets.
Depending on origin and destination, FedEx International First shipments arrive within one to three business days, often at the start of the business day. The service is most often used for business documents, electronic and high tech equipment, medical devices, clinical trials and gear for the entertainment industry–shipments that require delivery on a tight deadline.
About FedEx International First
FedEx International First is a time-definite, customs cleared, door-to-door express service with a pre-defined delivery commitment for shipments up to 150 lbs. per package. Customers receive International First deliveries as early as 8 a.m. in the United States, 9 a.m. in Europe, and 10 a.m. in Asia, Canada and Latin America. While the range of shipments is broad, it’s often the delivery service of choice for customers shipping time-sensitive materials.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. McDonnell Douglas MD-11 (F) N644FE (msn 48444) lands in Anchorage.
FedEx Express:
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