Alaska Airlines hit by major IT outage, all flights grounded
What's the story
Alaska Airlines has implemented a grounding order for its entire fleet of 325 aircraft due to an IT outage. The decision was confirmed by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) notice issued on Sunday evening (local time). The grounding order also extends to Horizon Air flights, a regional subsidiary of Alaska Airlines. Passengers have been advised to check their flight status for any potential delays or cancellations.
Grounding details
FAA's notice does not explain reason for grounding order
The FAA's notice, issued shortly after 9pm (local time) on Sunday, does not explain the reason behind the grounding order. It affects all planes operating under Alaska Airlines' main brand and includes those operated by Horizon Air. The Alaska Air Group has a fleet of 238 Boeing 737s and 87 Embraer 175s, according to its website.
Official statement
Airline confirms it outage in official statement
Alaska Airlines confirmed the IT outage in an official statement, saying, "At approximately 8:00pm Pacific on Sunday, Alaska Airlines experienced an IT outage that's impacting our operations." The airline added that it had requested a temporary, system-wide ground stop for both Alaska and Horizon Air flights until the issue is resolved. "We apologize to our guests for this inconvenience," the airline said in its statement. Although work was ongoing to restore normal service, passengers should still expect further disruptions.
Passenger impact
Thousands of passengers stranded at Seattle airport
The sudden grounding order has left thousands of passengers stranded, particularly at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the airline's main hub. Social media posts show crowded waiting areas and frustrated travelers. One user even suggested a hilarious solution for the IT issue, tweeting, "Hey @AlaskaAir we're stuck on the tarmac in #Seattle. The pilot said all Alaska systems are down for the next hour. Can someone in IT just unplug the computer, wait 5 seconds, and plug it back in?"
Information
Last major issue was reported in 2022
Alaska Airlines is a leading carrier on the US West Coast, offering both domestic and international flights. The last major disruption of this magnitude was reported in 2022, when a comparable system glitch led to widespread flight delays.