Ravn Alaska, one of only two commercial airlines offering regularly scheduled passenger flights from Anchorage to the Aleutian Islands, announces that it will cease scheduled service to Unalaska, Cold Bay and Sand Point effective August 16.
The company announced the decision in an email to its customers. A statement posted on the company’s website Tuesday afternoon said the airline plans to focus on other destinations in Alaska.
Ravn continues to offer flights from Anchorage to Homer, Valdez, St. Paul Island and Unalakleet.
“This change is part of a broader initiative to optimize operations and ensure the long-term sustainability and growth of the airline. By reallocating resources and capacity, Ravn Alaska/New Pacific Airlines aims to improve service reliability and customer satisfaction across its core network,” the statement said.
Ravn representatives declined requests for interviews.
“This was not an easy decision, but it is a necessary step in our long-term strategy to strengthen the overall success of our airline. This change allows us to focus on the routes where we can have the greatest impact,” the company said.
The frequently asked questions page on the company’s website states that the airline will issue refunds to ticket holders and that processing will take place by the end of the month.
“Refunds will be processed within 14 business days from the date of suspension (August 16),” the page states. “Exact timeframe may vary depending on bank or payment method.”
The company has been plagued by turmoil recently: Ravn laid off about a third of its employees earlier this year and announced the replacement of its CEO in June.
New Pacific Airlines, Ravn’s sister brand, announced in April that it would cease scheduled service to focus on chartering its Boeing 757s.
Air travel to the Aleutian Islands has been in trouble since a fatal accident in 2019 that led to the bankruptcy of the previous airline, RavnAir. The new Ravn Alaska began operations in the region in 2020 after several months without a commercial airline serving the Aleutian Islands.
Following Ravn’s decision to reduce its routes, Aleutian Airways is the only airline with scheduled flights from Anchorage to Unalaska, Sand Point and Cold Bay.
