SEATTLE — Alaska Airlines has resumed flight operations after a significant IT outage forced the airline to ground all flights for several hours on Thursday — marking the third major disruption in just over a year.
Operations Restored After System-Wide Ground Stop
The Seattle-based carrier said early Friday that its systems were fully restored approximately eight hours after the outage began.
“Alaska Airlines operations have been restored after a significant IT outage resulted in a system-wide ground stop of flights,” the airline said in a statement.
The outage led to the cancellation of at least 229 flights, with additional delays and cancellations expected as the airline repositions aircraft and crews across its network.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Alaska Airlines’ flight suspension advisory was officially removed early Friday morning.
What Caused the Outage?
The issue began around 3:30 p.m. local time (2230 GMT) and was traced back to a failure at the airline’s primary data center.
“The outage is not a cybersecurity event, and it’s not related to any other incidents,” Alaska Airlines clarified.
The company emphasized that “the safety of our flights was never compromised.”
The disruption also affected Alaska’s regional subsidiary Horizon Air, though Hawaiian Airlines remained unaffected.
Passengers Report Chaos and Confusion
About three hours into the outage, passengers took to social media to express frustration about a lack of updates and communication.
“Everyone everywhere at SeaTac. No boarding, no firm updates,” posted traveler Jeff Lawrence on X (formerly Twitter), alongside a photo of crowded airport waiting areas.
A Pattern of IT Failures
This latest incident comes just three months after a similar three-hour outage on July 20, which Alaska Airlines blamed on “a critical piece of multi-redundant hardware” at its data centers.
The airline also faced another system failure last year, which caused widespread flight delays and cancellations.
Alaska Airlines’ Broader Safety Challenges
The airline has faced additional challenges in recent years beyond IT issues.
In January 2024, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 experienced a mid-air blowout when a door plug section detached during a flight from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California.
All 171 passengers and six crew members survived the incident, though it led the FAA to temporarily ground all U.S. Boeing 737-9 aircraft while safety inspections were conducted.
What Happens Next
Alaska Airlines said it is working to reposition aircraft, rebook passengers, and stabilize its flight schedule over the coming days.
“We are deeply sorry for the disruption to our guests’ travel plans,” the airline said. “Our teams are working around the clock to get our operations back to normal.”
