Alaska Airlines experienced a sudden IT outage on Sunday night, resulting in a complete grounding of its fleet and raising concerns about the airline’s digital infrastructure. This is the second time in just over a year that Alaska has had to ground its planes due to technical issues.
Ground Stop and Resumed Operations
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the ground stop was issued around 11 p. m. Eastern Time and affected more than 200 aircraft flying under the Alaska Airlines brand. Shortly after, Horizon Air, a regional airline operated by Alaska Air Group, was also included in the suspension.
The airline provided an update on social media around 2 a. m. on Monday, stating that the system-wide ground stop had been lifted and operations were beginning to resume. However, they cautioned that it would take some time to get their overall operations back to normal.
Passengers Affected by Delays and Confusion
The sudden halt to operations caused long delays and confusion for passengers, with some stuck on the tarmac for hours. Many reported receiving little information from staff during the ordeal. Passengers at Denver International Airport, where one of the more prolonged delays occurred, were forced to wait onboard planes with limited updates.
Grant Watts, a passenger on a grounded Alaska Airlines flight, described the experience as frustrating. “We had been waiting on the tarmac for two hours,” he said, as reported by The New York Times. “At about 10:30 p. m. , passengers were finally informed that they would have to exit the plane.
Other passengers reported being unable to collect their luggage or secure alternate flights late into the night. Some were still inside grounded planes awaiting instructions hours after the initial system failure.
Broader Concerns about Aviation Cybersecurity
This is the second time in just over a year that Alaska Airlines has grounded its fleet due to system issues. The airline’s IT troubles come amidst growing concerns about cybersecurity in the global aviation industry.
In June, Hawaiian Airlines, also owned by Alaska Air Group, experienced disruptions after hackers targeted its IT infrastructure. Alaska Air Group has not disclosed the financial impact of the attack but has acknowledged ongoing assessments.
Other airlines have also suffered digital attacks this year, including WestJet Airlines in Canada and Australia’s Qantas. Additionally, Microsoft revealed on Sunday that it had detected “active attacks” on its server software, affecting both government and business systems. It is unknown if the Alaska Airlines outage is connected to these attacks.
Alaska Airlines currently operates a fleet of 238 Boeing 737 aircraft and 87 Embraer 175 jets through Horizon Air. It serves over 120 destinations across five countries and serves more than 44 million customers annually.
Conclusion
Alaska Airlines experienced a sudden IT outage on Sunday night, causing a complete grounding of its fleet and disrupting flight operations. This is the second time in just over a year that the airline has had to ground its planes due to technical issues.