Alaska Airlines resumes operations after IT outage forced ground stoppage

Alaska Airlines announced late Thursday, October 23, it was "actively restoring operations" after issuing a ground stoppage due to an IT outage. The airline stated the temporary ground stop was caused by an IT outage affecting all operations. "We apologize for the inconvenience," it said on X.

The ground stoppage halted departures temporarily while the airline worked to resolve the technical issues. Alaska Airlines did not immediately provide details about the nature of the IT outage or how long systems were affected.

The FlightAware air traffic tracking website indicated 54 Alaska Airlines flights were canceled as of early Friday, though it was unclear which, if any, were directly related to the ground stoppage.


Also read: Alaska Airlines grounds all flights due to technology outage

Passengers affected by the ground stop faced delays and disruptions to their travel plans. The airline did not immediately specify how many flights experienced delays or what accommodations were being provided to impacted travelers.

Alaska Airlines operates a significant network across the United States, with major hubs in Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Anchorage. The carrier serves more than 120 destinations throughout North America.

Government shutdown impacts US flight operations

The ground stop occurred as flights in the United States have been impacted by the ongoing government shutdown that began Oct. 1, during which many air traffic controllers are ordered to work without pay. The shutdown has worsened staffing shortages, leading to an increase in canceled and delayed flights.

The Federal Aviation Administration has reported strain on air traffic control operations due to the shutdown, with controllers working mandatory overtime shifts to maintain coverage at understaffed facilities nationwide.

Alaska Airlines experienced previous IT-related ground stop

In July, Alaska Airlines issued a system-wide ground stoppage due to an IT issue. That incident also resulted in flight delays and cancellations as the airline worked to restore normal operations.