NAIROBI, Kenya — Alaska Airlines was forced to ground all flights Sunday evening following an unexpected IT outage that threw the carrier’s systems into disarray, disrupting operations across the board.
In a statement emailed to Reuters, the Seattle-based airline confirmed that the issue hit around 8 p.m. Pacific Time (0300 GMT Monday), prompting a temporary system-wide ground stop for both Alaska and Horizon Air flights.
While the company didn’t reveal the exact cause of the outage, it warned of residual delays and disruptions stretching into the night.
“We experienced an IT outage that’s impacting our operations,” the statement read, offering little detail but confirming that tech failure was the culprit.
The airline did not disclose whether the issue stemmed from a cyberattack, system glitch, or other technical malfunction.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also hasn’t commented on the situation, at least not yet. However, the agency’s live flight status board showed ground stops in place for Alaska’s mainline aircraft and its regional partner, Horizon Air, indicating widespread impact.
Alaska Air Group operates a sizable fleet, including 238 Boeing 737s and 87 Embraer 175s. With that many planes suddenly stuck on the ground, even a few hours of downtime can ripple through the network—causing headaches for travelers, flight crews, and airport operations alike.
This isn’t the first tech scare in recent months. Back in June, Hawaiian Airlines—also owned by Alaska Air Group—suffered a cyberattack that disrupted its IT systems.
The company is still tallying the financial fallout from that incident, raising the possibility that Sunday’s outage may have deeper roots or similar consequences.
As of now, travelers can expect continued delays and should keep an eye on airline updates before heading to the airport. For Alaska Airlines, the turbulence isn’t just in the sky—it’s in the servers too.
