Atlas Air trims Anchorage operations as Fairbanks emerges as fallback
Atlas Air appears to be adjusting its Alaskan operations as pressure builds at Anchorage, with new ...
Photo: © Andrew Kazmierski
By Alex Lennane
Pressure is building on Anchorage’s role as the hub for transpacific cargo, as operational constraints and fuel concerns push carriers to explore alternatives within and beyond Alaska.
One industry source described conditions at the airport bluntly: “ANC is a real mess now.”
Recent operational data supports that assessment. Figures for April show Anchorage handling broadly steady volumes, in the mid-60s to low-70s arrivals a day – below peak level. However, congestion appears uneven, with maximum taxi times exceeding 60 minutes on some days.
At the same time, the airport is regularly operating close to stand capacity, with peak aircraft on the ground reaching the high teens.
Data also suggests that not all transpacific flows rely on Anchorage, with roughly a third of eastbound flights already routing via alternative pathways.
Source: ANC Daily Report, 5 May
According to one reliable source, multiple factors are converging, including fuel availability, infrastructure limitations and ongoing works.
“There’s lack of fuel… construction and slots issue in ANC as well,” and the source added that wider structural issues were also at play.
“ANC is a problem not just due to the current war causing fuel supply problems, but also a construction project this summer which reduces parking slots, and also huge snow and parking issues every winter.”
Against that backdrop, some operators are understood to be adjusting their networks. Indeed, one industry source said some operators were “taking payload hits” to avoid Anchorage, flying direct transpacific sectors into the US rather than stopping in Alaska.
Source: ANC Daily Report, 5 May
While such moves are not widespread, Anchorage remains heavily used, but sources said carriers were increasingly looking at ways to reduce reliance on the hub.
Within Alaska, that has led to interest in Fairbanks as a secondary option, although its role appears limited to Atlas Air – which is increasing its use of the airport.
“Atlas Air… [is] the only one that could make Fairbanks work due to scale… If you have daily or multi-daily flights, ok, but for rest it’s no option at all.”
The source added that Canada’s Edmonton (YEG) had “been getting a lot of requests”, as Fairbanks was not proving a viable alternative for many airlines.
Attention is therefore shifting beyond Alaska, with some in the industry actively promoting Edmonton as a longer-term solution.
“The case for YEG is very strong,” said one North American source.
Proponents argue the airport offers both operational resilience and commercial upside, including access to both US and Canadian markets.
“Using it instead of ANC gives carriers… access to two markets… gives carriers the ability to de-risk by having two revenue sources.”
They also point to payload performance advantages on transpacific sectors, explaining: “For the 777-200F, there are no, or minor, gross payload hits from most major transpac cities. For 747Fs… there are major possibilities there as well.”
YEG’s local industrial base is seen as another key factor.
“The region has very attractive exports to Asia… especially in the perishable foodstuffs, oil and gas and pharmaceutical industries. There are a lot of charters to/from YEG – horses, oil, and gas, etc. There are even cherry exports from British Columbia and Oregon … mostly trucked from YEG to Calgary.”
Interest from Asian carriers is said to be rising, Japanese and Korean airlines are said to be considering Edmonton as a permanent alternative to ANC.
The case for Canada is also being strengthened by wider trade developments. It and the UAE have recently expanded their bilateral air transport agreement, allowing unlimited all-cargo flights and full fifth-freedom rights.
Emirates SkyCargo has launched a weekly freighter service to Toronto, adding around 100 tonnes of capacity, underlining the growing trade flows.
Badr Abbas, divisional SVP at Emirates SkyCargo, said: “Our freighter service to Toronto is an important milestone… as we continue to strategically expand our freighter fleet and network in line with evolving trade corridors.”
He added: “Exports from Canada to the UAE have been growing steadily… increasing 24% year on year.”
Operational pressures at Anchorage and the expansion of alternative trade corridors are beginning to shift how carriers assess their transpacific networks. As one source put it: “There is an alternative.”
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