The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the airline's request for the ground stop, which has impacted all destinations served by Alaska Airlines. The FAA's status page revealed that both Alaska's mainline aircraft and Horizon Air flights were grounded as a result of the IT failure.
IT System Outage Hits Alaska Airlines
According to a statement from Alaska Airlines, the outage began around 8 p.m. Pacific Time on Sunday, causing immediate disruptions to flight schedules. The airline stated, "We requested a temporary, system-wide ground stop for Alaska and Horizon Air flights until the issue is resolved." While the outage has since affected operations across multiple flights, Alaska Airlines reassured passengers that they are actively working to fix the issue.
"We apologize to our guests for this inconvenience," a spokesperson from Alaska Airlines said. "There will be residual impacts to our operations throughout the evening. If you're traveling tonight, we strongly recommend checking the status of your flight before heading to the airport."
The airline's website also confirmed the IT system issue, with a message stating: "We are experiencing issues with our IT systems. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working to resolve the issues."
What Does This Mean for Travelers?
For those planning to fly with Alaska Airlines or Horizon Air, it’s crucial to stay updated on the latest flight status. As the ground stop remains in place, delays are expected to persist throughout the evening and potentially into the next day. Passengers are urged to check for updates before arriving at the airport, as the airline works to resolve the technical issues and return to normal operations.
If you have a flight scheduled with Alaska Airlines tonight or in the coming days, make sure to stay connected to their website or mobile app for real-time updates. It's a waiting game for many, but Alaska Airlines is committed to getting things back on track as quickly as possible.