Alaska Airlines was forced to ground all its mainline and Horizon Air flights late Sunday following a system-wide IT outage, leaving passengers stranded and operations disrupted across the United States. The airline lifted the ground stop by 11 p.m. Pacific time, according to statements by both Alaska Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
"At approximately 8 p.m. Pacific on July 20, we experienced an IT outage that resulted in a temporary, system-wide ground stop for Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air flights," an Alaska Airlines spokesperson said. "As of 11 p.m. Pacific, the ground stop has been lifted, and our operations have resumed."
The company warned of residual disruptions. "As we reposition our aircraft and crews, there will most likely be residual impacts to our flights," the airline stated. "It will take some time to get our overall operations back to normal."
The FAA's status page confirmed the full stop, listing "ground stop all Alaska mainline and Horizon aircraft" during the height of the disruption. Messages on Alaska Airlines' website also acknowledged the issue: "We are experiencing issues with our IT systems," the airline posted earlier in the evening.
It remains unclear what triggered the outage. Passengers at major airports including Seattle and Portland reported widespread delays and confusion. Jaclyn Martin, a passenger out of Portland, said, "I waited on a boarded flight for about an hour before being told to deplane," adding that the experience left her confidence "a bit shaken."
Another traveler, Ben DeCarlow, described the lack of information from Alaska Airlines staff during the outage. "They just saw a network system error, and they couldn't figure out any more than we could," he told KOIN 6 News. "They said, maybe try the 1-800 number and see if that helps. And it was a 2.5-hour wait time for that."
Several passengers were told to keep receipts for hotel and car expenses, with the airline offering reimbursement. Others were rebooked on Monday flights.
This marks the latest in a series of technical issues for Alaska Airlines. In April 2024, the carrier grounded flights due to malfunctions in its weight and balance system. The broader Alaska Air Group, which also owns Hawaiian Airlines, recently reported an IT security breach on June 26 and is still assessing the financial implications.
The FAA emphasized that there was "no impact on safety" and that the agency "continues to monitor the situation."
