Crews are working urgently to repair a leaking oil pipeline that supplies jet fuel to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, a disruption that has forced airlines to reroute flights and implement emergency refueling stops just as Thanksgiving holiday travel reaches its busiest period of the year.
The pipeline shutdown has compelled airlines to adjust operations significantly, with some long-haul flights now making unscheduled additional stops to refuel, causing delays and itinerary changes for travellers heading to destinations across the country during one of the year’s most congested travel periods.
Delta passenger Andy Lawson described his disrupted travel plans: “We are flying to Atlanta. We are going to stop in Salt Lake instead of the direct flight we initially had. We are gonna stop in Salt Lake and refuel, and it’s going to delay us about an hour,” he stated, explaining how his direct transcontinental flight became a two-leg journey with a refueling stop in Utah.
Lawson and two other travellers heading to Boston indicated their flights would stop in Spokane before continuing to their East Coast destination. Each passenger received text message notifications from Delta informing them of the itinerary changes necessitated by the fuel supply disruption.
The Olympic Pipeline, which typically supplies the airport’s fuel storage facility known as the fuel farm, developed a leak two weeks ago, prompting operators to shut down the system as a safety precaution whilst they located the source and developed repair plans. As a consequence, airlines are either making intermediate stops at other airports to refuel, or arranging for jet fuel to be transported by truck to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, a logistical challenge that is less efficient and more expensive than pipeline delivery.
David Karavelnikoff, travelling to Laredo, Texas, for a special ceremony, stated, “We just got an Alaska Airlines notification that our flight was delayed. It’s a little bit of an inconvenience because we have dinner reservations in Texas, so we might be late for our dinner reservations,” describing how the fuel situation is disrupting personal plans beyond mere travel schedules.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport spokesperson Perry Cooper sought to reassure travellers that they will receive advance notice of any fuel-related disruptions rather than discovering problems at the gate. “There is not going to be a situation where you show up at the terminal standing at the gate and half an hour before we can’t take off, no fuel. That’s not going to happen. You are going to know before you get here whether your flight is going to happen,” Cooper stated, emphasising that airlines and airport operations are coordinating to prevent last-minute surprises for passengers.
Cooper indicated that decisions about how to respond to the fuel supply issue rest with individual airlines, whilst Seattle-Tacoma International Airport’s role focuses on providing customer care and support during travellers’ holiday experiences. He highlighted various operational changes implemented to assist travellers during this challenging holiday week, including a parking grace period allowing extra time without penalties for those picking up passengers whose flights are delayed.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson issued an emergency proclamation Wednesday authorising commercial drivers to work extended hours beyond normal limits to transport jet fuel by truck to the Port of Seattle until the pipeline shutdown ends. The emergency order temporarily suspends hours-of-service regulations that typically restrict how long truck drivers can operate in a single shift, allowing more fuel deliveries to reach the airport quickly despite the pipeline being offline.
Despite the significant disruptions caused by the fuel supply challenges, Cooper noted that no flight cancellations on Monday were directly attributed to the pipeline issue, suggesting airlines have successfully managed to secure alternative fuel supplies through trucking and strategic refueling stops rather than canceling service entirely.
Late Monday evening, BP, which operates the Olympic Pipeline system, released a statement indicating crews had identified the source of the leak and were developing repair plans. “Olympic Pipeline crews have identified the source of a release of refined products east of Everett, Washington. Testing conducted today confirmed a leak in the 20-inch pipeline. There were no indications of a leak in the 16-inch pipeline. Crews are developing a repair plan for the 20-inch segment. Plans for a partial restart are being developed, and an updated restart timeline will be provided when available. The safety of personnel, the environment, and the community remains our highest priority,” the company stated.
The statement indicates the leak occurred in the larger of two parallel pipelines in the Olympic system, whilst the smaller 16-inch pipeline remains intact. The ability to potentially restart the smaller pipeline whilst repairs continue on the larger one could partially restore fuel flow to the airport, though at reduced capacity compared to normal operations when both pipelines function.
