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Christmas presents may be arriving later than expected for many rural communities in Alaska. That’s after Alaska Air Cargo, Alaska Airlines’ cargo-specific carrier, placed an embargo on freight shipments for several hubs across the state.

According to Alaska Airlines, the embargo began on Dec. 16 and will end on Dec. 21.

The embargo excludes Alaska Air Cargo’s GoldStreak shipping service, designed for smaller packages and parcels, as well as live animals.

Alaska Airlines spokesperson Tim Thompson cited “unexpected freighter maintenance and severe weather impacting operations” as causes for the embargo.

“This embargo enables us to prioritize moving existing freight already at Alaska Air Cargo facilities to these communities,” Thompson said in an email to KNOM. “Restrictions will be lifted once the current backlog has been cleared.”

With the Christmas holiday just a week away, carriers like Northern Air Cargo have rushed to fill the gap. Gideon Garcia, the Anchorage-based company’s vice president of cargo operations, said he’s noticed an uptick in package volume.

“It’s our peak season, and we’re all very busy in the air cargo industry,” Garcia said. “We are serving our customers with daily flights to our scheduled locations across the state and trying to ensure the best possible holiday season for all of our customers.”

Garcia said the holiday season is a tough time for all cargo carriers, but especially those flying in Alaska.

“We operate in places that many air carriers in other parts of the country just sort of shake their head at in disbelief. But to us, it’s our everyday activity,” Garcia said. “The challenges we face with windstorms, with cold weather, make it operationally challenging.”

Mike Jones is an economist at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He said a recent raft of poor weather across the state only compounded problems for Alaska Air Cargo.

“I think we’ve seen significantly worse weather at this time of year that is at one of the most poorly timed points in the season,” Jones said.

Jones said Alaska Air Cargo is likely prioritizing goods shipped through the U.S. Postal Service’s Alaska-specific bypass mail program during the embargo period. That includes palletized goods destined for grocery store shelves but not holiday gifts purchased online at vendors like Amazon.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Alaska Airlines was responsible for 38% of freight shipped to Nome in December 2024.

Alaska Air Cargo’s daily scheduled flight between Anchorage and Nome has only flown four times in the month of December, according to flight data from FlightRadar24.

An Alaska Air Cargo 737-800 freighter landed in Nome Thursday at 11:53 a.m., its first arrival in a week. Friday’s scheduled flight has been cancelled.

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. — The 74th and 75th Fighter Squadrons are pushing the A-10C Thunderbolt II into a new era as they finish installing Aircraft Radio Corporation-210 (ARC-210) Generation 6 radios across the fleet at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia.

These advanced radios are already transforming the aircraft’s communication capability, delivering a more secure connectivity that strengthens its role in joint and coalition operations.

“The radio allows us to use ‘preset parameters’ (preprogrammed communication settings) which enables us to quickly switch to a preset secure frequency, something we were previously unable to do,” said an Airman assigned to the 23d Wing. “Additionally, in certain modes of operation, we are able to receive location information from another user (shared position data from friendly forces). Secure and active communications are standard in combat operations, and this radio allows us to quickly switch between settings, alleviating pilot workload.”

This upgrade marks a decisive step in accelerating Air Combat Command’s vision of “bringing the future faster,” putting next-generation technology directly into the hands of Airmen today and ensuring the aircraft remains a lethal, relevant asset on tomorrow’s battlefield.

“The A-10 received the radio upgrade because despite the looming divestment, the communications requirements for the joint force are evolving,” the Airman said. “If we did not receive the upgrade, we would be unable to communicate with other entities using modern crypto (updated digital encryption for secure communications) or SATURN (Second-generation Anti-Jam Tactical UHF Radio for NATO). Part of what makes the A-10 so lethal is that we possess an advanced suite of radios and are therefore able to engage in the detailed communication required for close air support.

“The radio allows us to use modern communication methods such as modern-crypto keys and SATURN, the active frequency-hopping technology replacing HAVE QUICK (an older secure radio system),” the Airman continued. “The radio allows us to load modern encryption keys necessary for secure communication.”

The installation of the latest radio systems enables pilots to perform with greater effectiveness in contested and dynamic environments, while simultaneously enhancing the readiness of the squadron as a whole.

“This technology enhances our readiness by enabling seamless integration with allied forces, leveraging the radio’s extensive capabilities and ensuring sustained relevance through future software upgrades in a dynamic operational environment,” said Staff Sgt. Timur Khripunov, 74th Fighter generation Squadron avionics craftsmen. “The advanced communication suite empowers pilots with unprecedented levels of integration with allied partners, enabling superior joint operations as well as integration with 5th gen forces.”

As one of the first fighter platforms to field the ARC-210 radio, the A-10 at Moody AFB is leading the way in modernizing communications across the Combat Air Forces. This early adoption positions Moody to share valuable lessons learned with other aircraft and units as they receive similar upgrades — strengthening readiness today while ensuring the Air Force is prepared for the challenges of tomorrow.