Alaska Airlines Grounds Flights Nationwide Due to IT Outage
Alaska Airlines experienced a significant IT outage that resulted in a system-wide ground stop affecting flights across its network. The Seattle-based carrier, which also operates Horizon Air and Hawaiian Airlines, temporarily halted operations while working to resolve the technical issues. The ground stop was eventually lifted at 11:30 p.m. Pacific time, but the disruption led to hundreds of flight cancellations and delays as the airline worked to reposition aircraft and crews throughout its network.
Alaska Airlines faced significant operational disruptions after experiencing a major IT outage that forced the airline to issue a temporary ground stop across its entire network. The Seattle-based carrier, which also operates Horizon Air and Hawaiian Airlines, confirmed the technical issues in a statement, noting that the outage affected operations system-wide.
Operational Impact and Response
The ground stop was officially lifted at 11:30 p.m. Pacific time, but the disruption had already caused substantial flight cancellations and delays. According to the airline's statement, more than 229 flights were canceled during the incident, with additional disruptions expected as the carrier worked to reposition aircraft and crews throughout its network. Flight tracking data from FlightAware indicated that 256 Alaska Air flights had been canceled and 234 delayed as of Friday morning, though it wasn't clear how many of these occurred specifically during the ground stop period.
Passenger Support and Recovery Efforts
Alaska Airlines implemented a flexible travel policy to support affected passengers as operations gradually returned to normal. The airline encouraged travelers to check their flight status before heading to the airport and expressed appreciation for passenger patience during the disruption. In their statement, the carrier emphasized that they were working to get operations back on track as quickly and safely as possible while ensuring passengers reached their destinations.
Industry Context and Regulatory Aspects
Ground stops are typically issued by the Federal Aviation Administration, often at the request of airlines facing operational challenges. Alaska Airlines, one of the largest U.S. carriers primarily centered on the West Coast, serves 140 destinations worldwide across 37 states and 12 countries. The incident occurred during a period when air travel in the U.S. has experienced additional stresses due to government shutdown-related shortages of air traffic controllers, though the airline did not elaborate on whether these factors contributed to the specific IT outage.
