Alaska Airlines grounds all flights due to IT outage
- Alaska Airlines requested a temporary ground stop for all its flights due to an IT outage experienced on Sunday night.
- The ground stop affected not only Alaska Airlines but also its subsidiary Horizon Air, impacting several passengers.
- Operations resumed around 11 p.m. ET, but residual delays were expected as the airline worked to restore its schedule.
On Sunday night, Alaska Airlines, a prominent U.S. airline, faced a significant operational challenge due to an IT outage that affected its fleet and subsidiary Horizon Air. The airline experienced the outage around 8 p.m. Pacific time, prompting it to request a system-wide ground stop for all flights. This request was acknowledged by the Federal Aviation Administration, indicating that all mainline and Horizon Air flights were impacted by the measure. Customers were advised to check their flight statuses before heading to the airport due to the disruption. The outage created uncertainty regarding the operations of both Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, generating concerns among travelers as they sought information on their flights. The company issued a public apology for the inconvenience caused by the outage, indicating that it anticipated residual delays and impacts throughout the evening. As passengers were left in limbo, the situation drew attention both for the logistics of air travel and the dependency on IT systems in modern airline operations. By approximately 11 p.m. Eastern time, Alaska Airlines announced that operations had resumed following the lifting of the ground stop. However, the airline was still cautioning customers about the possibility of lingering delays as the airline worked to realign its aircraft and crews. The overall impact of the IT outage on different airports remained unclear at the time, but the situation highlighted the vulnerabilities that airlines face within their operational frameworks, especially regarding technology that supports scheduling, communication, and customer information systems. This incident has raised questions about the reliability of airline IT systems and the measures airlines take to ensure operational continuity during technical issues. As travel regulations and situations can rapidly evolve, understanding IT dependencies becomes crucial not just for airlines, but for passengers who rely on timely and efficient air travel for personal and business-related journeys.