We are celebrating the people at our cargo stations across the states of Alaska and Hawai’i, and the communities they serve. For more stories in this series, check out our People of Cargo.
STATION SPOTLIGHT: Yakutat, Alaska (YAK)
STATION FACT: Our Alaska Air Cargo team in Yakutat moves about 1.4 million pounds of halibut and salmon every year.
TEAM SPOTLIGHT: Robert, lead ramp service agent, has been working with our cargo teams for 10 years.
ALASKA LIFE FUN FACT: Every August, Yakutat celebrates Fairweather Day, a chance for the small Southeast Alaska community to gather on a (hopefully) sunny summer day. “We have a little Alaska Airlines booth set up out at the beach here where we hand things out,” Robert said. “The ladies on the customer service side ask us to help them build a cool float on one of our vehicles every year. And the biggest attraction is trying to get a Fairweather Day sweater. It’s a hoodie with art from a local artist, and everybody loves to get one.”
In Yakutat, the economy is buoyed by commercial fishing, and Robert’s life has been intertwined with the industry for as long as he can remember.
“At 10 years old, I started commercial fishing with my dad,” he said, recalling how he fished for salmon throughout high school until he started working on the ramp for Alaska Airlines soon after graduation. “I was the person selling the fish to the plant, and when I started working here, that plant would bring the fish to us to ship it. So, I was on the other side of things before I started working here.”
Robert’s fishing experience gives him extra appreciation for the important role our cargo teams play to protect the cold chain and preserve the value of local products while they’re en route to destinations around the world.
“Time is always a huge thing from the fisherman’s perspective,” he said. “They pull the fish out of the water, and it goes immediately into a tote that’s ice and water mix. … Now, being on this side of things, those guys move that fish from the river to plant fast, and as quickly as they can, they get that fish off to us to move it down south. So that cold chain process and time is super important.”
And when he travels in the lower 48, Robert takes pride in seeing Yakutat Seafoods products around the country. “It’s a good feeling knowing we’re part of the livelihood of the town,” he said.
This summer, when the days were longest and the year’s busiest cargo days were still to come, Robert took time out of his workday to talk about how his Alaska Air Cargo team supports the local economy:
What are some of the products typically shipped into and out of Yakutat?
“We move anything and everything. If you need parts, or you need food, or you need household maintenance materials — everything you need for any aspect of life comes in on Alaska Air Cargo.”
How long is the fishing season?
“We move fish consistently 10 months out of the year. We have a few different fishing seasons where we target different kinds of fish in the area. So, in the winter we’re still moving king salmon, and in the spring, it’s halibut, and then until late fall, we have sockeye and cohos and kings and halibut all together.”
What’s the busiest time of the year?
“We call it ‘Snap September’ for a reason. Our whole month of September is very busy. It’s a time crunch for everybody — for our everyday customers and for those who are trying to catch as much fish as they can. Capacity for cargo goes super high. It’s the peak of our season and it’s really fun.”
What do you enjoy most about working in cargo and working in your hometown?
“I come to work every day, positive and excited. We’re a very small station, very tight knit, and I’m related to a majority of the crew here. It’s nice to come to work with friends and family, and we’ve got a really good blend of being out in the weather and then working inside. And sometimes you get to see something cool shipping in and out, too. The icing on the cake is you have family, friends or just people in town that you know who come and drop off cargo and pick up cargo. It makes the work lively and fun.”
