News / Atlas Air trims Anchorage operations as Fairbanks emerges as fallback

Photo: Atlas Air

Atlas Air appears to be adjusting its Alaskan operations as pressure builds at Anchorage, with new activity at Fairbanks emerging alongside falling cargo volumes and rising fuel risk. 

Data from NorthLink Aviation shows Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport recorded 2,518 international cargo landings in March, down 8% year on year – the first meaningful monthly decline in over a year. Atlas Air, the airport’s largest freighter operator, saw a sharper drop, with landings down 13%. 

NorthLink CEO Sean Dolan said the shift reflected mounting pressure on the hub, warning that “fuel supply at ANC, which is over 70% waterborne from Asian refining centres, is under pressure from the ongoing disruption at the Strait of Hormuz and from China’s ban on refined fuel exports”. 

He added that the near-term picture was one of “real operational stress”, with early April pacing at roughly 74 cargo flights a day, down from 82 in March. 

However, he noted that some carriers had increased operations at ANC last month, pointing to China Southern Airlines (+91%), Amazon Air (+58%), and Suparna Airlines (+53%). 

At the same time, flight tracking data shows Atlas-operated 777 freighters appearing at Fairbanks, including those leased to MSC Air Cargo, CMA CGM Air Cargo, and YunExpress, suggesting the airport is being used more within transpacific networks. Fairbanks is some 260 miles north of ANC. 

But Atlas has reiterated its commitment to Anchorage, telling The Loadstar it has a “major presence in Alaska” and describing ANC as “one of Atlas’ largest hubs… serving as a key transition point in the company’s network to Asia”.  

However, a spokesperson failed to respond to questions about its activity at Fairbanks. 

Atlas Air’s long-term position at the airport has been complicated by infrastructure constraints. Plans to secure a major base at the West AirPark have stalled, and the carrier has kept its distance from NorthLink Aviation’s proposed ecommerce hub, instead relying on existing infrastructure and preferential-use parking. 

That appears to leave Atlas with a dominant operational presence, but without full control over long-term capacity. 

Fuel is now adding a further layer of uncertainty. 

In a recent note to carriers seen by The Loadstar, the Alaska International Airport System (AIAS) said it was “closely monitoring developments in global energy markets and logistics networks that could potentially influence aviation fuel availability”, noting the state’s reliance on internationally sourced fuel and maritime delivery routes. 

While there is no immediate disruption, the airport authority warned that “the effect on any one carrier or airport operation depends heavily on its individual supply chain and procurement arrangements”. 

Against that backdrop, Fairbanks is emerging as a potential release valve. With fewer movements, the airport offers faster turnarounds, reduced congestion risk, and greater flexibility.  

Teri Lindseth, development manager for AIAS, told The Loadstar: “With respect to Fairbanks, the strategy is to support ANC and to grow cargo activity in a way that strengthens the statewide system overall. We view new cargo activity at FAI as primarily incremental growth and diversification, although over time some operational shifting may occur where it makes sense for carriers.  

“The broader objective is not to displace Anchorage’s role, but to add resiliency, expand available capacity, and ensure Alaska is positioned to accommodate demand across both airports.” 

The need for that flexibility is underlined by conditions at Anchorage itself. While the airport typically handles between 70 and 95 arrivals a day without issue, a late-January spike saw peak concurrent aircraft reach 36, triggering extreme taxi delays as stands became full and winter weather slowed movement rates. 

There is no indication that Atlas is moving away from Anchorage. But with volumes easing, infrastructure constraints unresolved and fuel risk rising, the appearance of activity at Fairbanks suggests the carrier is beginning to build optionality into its network. 

As Mr Dolan put it: “ANC is the backbone of the transpacific air cargo supply chain” — but the current environment is underscoring “the need for additional infrastructure investment at the airport”.