Alaska Airlines Grounded: Flights Halted Across US Due to IT Outage

Alaska Airlines has temporarily grounded all flights in the US due to a technical issue, issuing a ground stop on Thursday evening. The airline is “experiencing an IT outage affecting operations” and is working to restore its operations as soon as possible.

Key Details:

Affected Flights: All Alaska Airlines flights at US airports are grounded, including Horizon Air flights.
Cause: The airline is experiencing an IT outage, with no estimated time for resolution.
Previous Incident: This is the second IT outage for Alaska Airlines this year, with a similar incident in July causing a three-hour halt in flights.
Impact: The ground stop affects Alaska Airlines’ operations across 140 destinations globally, including 37 US states and 12 countries.
Government Shutdown: US air travel has been complicated in recent weeks due to a government shutdown, resulting in a lack of air traffic controllers and delayed flights at several airports ¹ ².

Current Status:

The airline has started restoring its operations, but some flights may be cancelled on Thursday and into Friday. Passengers are advised to check with the airline for updates on their flight status.

Related Issues:

The US aviation system is also dealing with air traffic control staffing issues, resulting in delays at major airports.
A government shutdown has led to a shortage of air traffic controllers, with some working without pay

Alaska Airlines recently experienced a significant technical issue that led to a nationwide ground stop in the United States. On Sunday, July 20, the airline’s flights were grounded due to an unexpected IT outage affecting its operations. The Seattle-based carrier reported that a critical piece of hardware at its data centers had failed, causing disruptions to several key systems.

The IT Outage: What Happened?

The outage occurred at approximately 8 p.m. Pacific Time on Sunday, prompting Alaska Airlines to request a temporary ground stop for all Alaska and Horizon Air flights. The airline’s statement indicated that they were working with a vendor to replace the faulty hardware equipment at the data center. The incident was not attributed to any cybersecurity threats or other current events ¹ ².

Impact on Flights and Passengers

The ground stop resulted in over 150 flight cancellations since Sunday evening, with 64 flights canceled on Monday alone. Approximately 7% of the airline’s scheduled flights were affected, causing inconvenience to thousands of passengers. The airline warned of potential further disruptions as they repositioned aircraft and crews throughout their network ³.

Previous Incidents and Cybersecurity Concerns

This incident marks the second time Alaska Airlines has grounded its entire fleet in just over a year. In April 2024, the airline faced a similar issue with the system that calculates the weight and balance of its planes. Additionally, Hawaiian Airlines, recently acquired by Alaska Airlines, experienced a cybersecurity event earlier this year that affected some of its IT systems. These incidents raise concerns about the airline’s ability to protect its systems and ensure passenger safety ¹ ⁴.

Airline’s Response and Recovery Efforts

Alaska Airlines has assured passengers that they are working diligently to restore normal operations. The ground stop was lifted at 11 p.m. PT on Sunday, and the airline has been repositioning aircraft and crews to minimize further disruptions. Passengers are advised to check the airline’s website or mobile app for updates on their flight status.

Industry-Wide Challenges

The aviation industry has been facing various technical issues and cybersecurity threats in recent months. Other airlines, such as Qantas and WestJet, have experienced data breaches and cyber incidents, highlighting the need for robust security measures to protect sensitive information and ensure passenger safety ¹ ⁴.

Key Takeaways

IT Outage Cause: Failure of critical hardware at Alaska Airlines’ data centers.
Impact: Over 150 flight cancellations, 7% of scheduled flights affected.
Previous Incidents: Similar issue in April 2024, Hawaiian Airlines’ cybersecurity event earlier this year.
Airline’s Response: Working with vendor to replace faulty hardware, repositioning aircraft and crews to minimize disruptions

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Recent News:

Alaska Airlines recently experienced an IT outage, causing flight cancellations and disruptions.
The airline industry is experiencing challenges due to government shutdowns and air traffic control staffing issues.
Companies are increasingly adopting corporate travel booking platforms to streamline their travel management processes and reduce costs