A leak in a major Pacific Northwest fuel pipeline could spell trouble for U.S. travelers during the busiest Thanksgiving week for air travel in the last 15 years.
The Olympic Pipeline, which connects an oil refinery near the Canadian border with terminals in Seattle, Tacoma, and other sites in Washington and Oregon, has been shut down since a leak was discovered on Nov. 11. The pipeline is a primary source of fuel for both 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 no estimated timeline for restoring the pipeline.
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson issued a state of emergency last week aimed at trucking in more fuel to SEA, and airlines have been carrying extra fuel when flying into the airport. Still, the amount of available fuel remains well below normal levels.
Although operations are still running as usual at the airport, some flights, including international and longer domestic trips, have reportedly had to make refueling stops in recent days.
Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines, the two biggest carriers at SEA, have both warned travelers of trouble ahead.
Delta said through a spokesperson that it is continuing to truck more fuel into the airport, but said that some longer domestic flights departing SEA will begin making refueling stops, causing schedule changes. Passengers on affected flights should be notified ahead of time.
“Delta is closely monitoring the status of repairs to the Olympic Pipeline and has issued a waiver to provide customers with flexibility in case we need to make schedule adjustments,” the airline said in a statement.
Alaska Airlines similarly said that it was working on contingency plans to ensure that service during the holiday week could be “maintained without significant disruption,” including “fuel management strategies such as tankering in fuel on inbound flights to Seattle, assessing tech stop options along certain routes to conserve fuel, and maintaining and expanding our trucking operation to bring in additional fuel supply.”
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts
By signing up, you will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
A spokesperson for United Airlines, which operates up to 25 flights per day from SEA to its hubs, according to Cirium, said that no disruptions were expected. American Airlines, which has 20 daily flights from SEA, said that it would add refueling stops for some of its flights.
Elsewhere: Inside the dizzying process of commercial aircraft maintenance
“We understand this may cause disruption which is why we’re doing everything we can to keep flights operating and ensure customers have options for their flights during this important Thanksgiving travel period,” American said in a statement. “Customers will be notified if they could be affected and should check their flight status on the American Airlines app or aa.com.”
Refueling stops can help an airline conserve its fuel supplies at SEA, but can also add an hour or more to some trips.
Similar issues are not expected at PDX due to the airport’s location directly on the Columbia River, which allows it to bring in more jet fuel by barge, The Associated Press reported — whereas it would take 90 fuel trucks to supply just half of the fuel SEA uses per day.
Even if you’re not traveling through SEA, your flight could be impacted depending on where your plane or crew is coming from.
As always, keep a close eye on your reservation if you’re traveling for Thanksgiving, and be sure to read any messages from the airline. Be sure to check out TPG’s guide for what to do if your flight is delayed or cancelled.
Related reading:
