Alaska Airlines had to temporarily halt all flights for several hours, leaving many travelers stranded or delayed. The reason? A technical glitch in their IT infrastructure that brought operations to a screeching stop. Passengers at various airports across the United States were met with sudden cancellations and few answers.
The disruption, which also impacted the airline’s regional partner Horizon Air, unfolded late Sunday evening. While the issue started around 8:00 PM local time, it was early Monday morning in Poland. As news trickled out, the airline confirmed the cause: a network failure that affected key systems used for scheduling and flight coordination.
Although service slowly resumed after about two hours, the ripple effects were anything but short-lived. The airline issued a statement noting that residual delays could stretch through the day, warning passengers to check their flight status regularly.
Alaska Airlines Grounds Its Fleet Over IT Failure
Alaska Airlines’ decision to ground all aircraft was not taken lightly. It stemmed from a network outage that made flight operations virtually impossible. As the situation unfolded, the airline’s official channels shared brief updates, acknowledging the disruption and apologizing for the inconvenience.
Horizon Air, operating many of Alaska’s regional routes, was affected in the same way. This meant that even short-haul and domestic flights were halted, causing confusion and frustration among travelers who expected business as usual.
While the systems were brought back online within a few hours, restoring full functionality across all airports and aircraft takes time. Everything from boarding passes to luggage routing had to be manually verified in some locations, leading to significant wait times.
Delays Could Linger Despite Resumption of Flights
Even though flights resumed, it was far from smooth sailing. The airline warned that the disruption could lead to a day full of delays and longer-than-usual check-in processes. For frequent fliers and those with tight schedules, this meant extra stress and uncertainty.
Air traffic control and airport staff also had to coordinate carefully to manage the backlog. Gate assignments, baggage handling, and crew schedules were all affected, making recovery slower than desired.
Some passengers shared their experiences on social media, showing crowded terminals and long lines. The general sentiment: frustration mixed with sympathy for the ground staff who were doing their best.
A Year After a Global Tech Snafu, More Trouble Emerges
Interestingly, this latest disruption comes almost exactly one year after a separate, massive IT issue hit systems worldwide. On July 19, 2024, a faulty software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike wreaked havoc on Windows platforms. Airlines, hospitals, and even law enforcement faced widespread issues.
While it’s not yet clear what exactly caused Sunday night’s failure at Alaska Airlines, the timing and nature of the incident have raised questions. Could another buggy update be to blame? The company has yet to provide full technical details.
What is clear, however, is that reliance on interconnected digital systems means even a small hiccup can trigger a chain reaction. For now, travelers are advised to stay alert, check for updates, and prepare for possible changes to their plans.
