Business

As hurricane nears, Alaska Airlines cancels flights to Mexican resort

By John Gillie

Staff writer
An airline employee walks in the empty airport in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico, where all flights are canceled as Hurricane Patricia approaches the Pacific resort city. Patricia headed toward southwestern Mexico Friday as a monster Category 5 storm, the strongest ever in the Western Hemisphere. Forecasters said could make a “potentially catastrophic landfall” later Friday.
An airline employee walks in the empty airport in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico, where all flights are canceled as Hurricane Patricia approaches the Pacific resort city. Patricia headed toward southwestern Mexico Friday as a monster Category 5 storm, the strongest ever in the Western Hemisphere. Forecasters said could make a “potentially catastrophic landfall” later Friday. Cesar Rodriguez The Associated Press

SeaTac-based Alaska Airlines on Friday canceled 10 flights to and from the Mexican resort town of Puerto Vallarta as Hurricane Patricia bore down on the Mexican Pacific Coast.

Mexican authorities closed Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport in Puerto Vallarta in anticipation of the hurricane’s arrival. The storm has been described as a Category 5 hurricane with winds up to 200 mph. FlightAware.com listed 17 flights from around the country scheduled to land in Puerto Vallarta that were canceled Friday.

The airline has not made a decision whether Saturday’s flights (Oct. 24) from Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange County, Calif. will fly.

Alaska told its customers it is implementing a flexible rebooking policy for flights Friday and Saturday to and from Puerto Vallarta, Ixtapa and Manzanillo. The airline will allow passengers to reschedule their trips without a penalty. Passengers on canceled flights will be eligible for full refunds, the airline said.

John Gillie: 253-597-8663

john.gillie@thenewstribune.com

This story was originally published October 23, 2015 at 12:44 PM with the headline "As hurricane nears, Alaska Airlines cancels flights to Mexican resort."

Related Stories from Tacoma News Tribune
Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER