Alaska Airlines Serving LAX Passengers Holding on Ground During Customs Computer Malfunction
12 Agosto 2007 - 9:39AM
PR Newswire (US)
SEATTLE, Aug. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- A U.S. Customs and Border
Protection computer malfunction affecting all international flights
arriving after about 1:30 p.m. yesterday at Los Angeles
International Airport (LAX) has prevented Alaska Airlines
passengers from deplaning and going through customs. The following
flights with a total of 976 passengers onboard were impacted: --
Flight 207 - La Paz-Los Angeles - arrived 4:33 p.m. -- Flight 283 -
Mazatlan-Los Angeles - arrived 4:36 p.m. -- Flight 291 - Puerto
Vallarta-Los Angeles - arrived 5:18 p.m. -- Flight 277 - Los
Cabos-Los Angeles - arrived 5:58 p.m. -- Flight 211 -
Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa-Los Angeles - arrived 6:25 p.m. -- Flight 289 -
Los Cabos-Los Angeles - arrived 7:35 p.m. -- Flight 231 - Mexico
City-Los Angeles - arrived 8:05 p.m. An eighth aircraft, Flight 225
from Cancun to Los Angeles, was diverted to San Diego, where
passengers went through customs. The flight departed again for Los
Angeles and arrived at 11:09 p.m on Saturday. During the holding
period for aircraft at LAX, all airplane lavatories have been
serviced and the airline has provided food and beverages to
passengers. Diapers and baby formula also have been delivered to
the aircraft, as well as extra pillows and blankets. Flights 207
and 283 were released by customs officials to deplane at 9:50 p.m.
and 10:15 p.m. respectively on Saturday and passengers on these
flights are currently proceeding through customs. The airline
expects the remaining five flights to be released by customs
officials within the next three hours. "We will deplane remaining
passengers as soon as customs officials allow us to do so and
continue to do all we can in the meantime to keep passengers
onboard these aircraft comfortable," said Glenn Johnson, Alaska's
executive vice president of airport services and maintenance and
engineering. The airline also is working to reschedule passengers
who missed their connecting flights due to the ground hold. Alaska
Airlines and sister carrier, Horizon Air, together serve 92 cities
through an expansive network throughout Alaska, the Lower 48,
Canada and Mexico. For reservations visit alaskaair.com. For more
news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air
Newsroom at alaskaair.com/newsroom. DATASOURCE: Alaska Airlines
CONTACT: Amanda Tobin Bielawski of Alaska Airlines, (pager)
+1-206-304-0008 Web site: http://www.alaskaair.com/
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