An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900ER operating Flight 322 from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport was forced to divert to Yakima Air Terminal in central Washington due to severe wind storms over the Seattle corridor. The aircraft landed safely at Yakima around 9:25 pm on Saturday, November 11, 2026.
During ground operations, a faulty fuel indicator was discovered, grounding the plane until the next day. Due to the initial diversion being weather-related, Alaska Airlines invoked a federal exemption that released it from the obligation to provide hotel accommodations. Local lodging and rental car services were inaccessible or closed,
leaving passengers without alternative shelter or transport.
More than 130 passengers and crew remained stranded at Yakima Air Terminal overnight. Airport director Christopher Hopkins contacted municipal authorities for emergency assistance, highlighting the urgent need for basic comfort and safety because of the late hour and the inaccessibility of hotels.
The Yakima County Office of Emergency Management, led by Tony Miller, quickly coordinated with the American Red Cross, which provided cots, blankets, infant formula, and drinking water for stranded passengers. Horizon Air supplied emergency meals. Passengers had to sleep on Red Cross cots scattered throughout the airport terminal.
Christopher Hopkins said,
“We realised quickly that with over 130 people stranded and local hotels completely inaccessible at that hour, we needed immediate emergency intervention to maintain basic comfort and safety.” A senior aviation passenger rights advocate added, “The prompt mobilisation of community resources by county emergency managers and the Red Cross prevented a difficult weather diversion from escalating into a severe humanitarian breakdown.”
A specialized maintenance team from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport arrived by road the following morning, cleared the fuel indicator fault, and certified the Boeing 737-900ER for departure. Flight 322 departed Yakima Air Terminal at 2:02 pm Sunday and landed safely
in Seattle several hours later.
