Alaska Airlines instituted a systemwide ground stop on Thursday evening after an information-technology outage disrupted core operational systems. The pause also included flights by regional affiliate Horizon Air, before the carrier began restoring operations later in the night.
What Happened
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Timing: The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop shortly before 7:00 p.m. ET at Alaska’s request. The disruption lasted nearly three hours before recovery actions began.
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Scope: The outage impacted Alaska’s flight operations, website, and mobile app, prompting the airline to urge customers to check flight status before heading to the airport.
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Who’s affected: Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air flights were included in the stop. Hawaiian Airlines—part of Alaska Air Group—continued operating normally.
Cause & Safety
Alaska indicated the event involved a failure at its primary data center and said there was no indication of a cybersecurity incident. Flight safety was not compromised.
Where The Disruptions Were Felt
Expect knock-on delays Friday at key Alaska stations, notably Seattle/Tacoma (SEA), Portland (PDX), Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), and Anchorage (ANC), as crews and aircraft are repositioned and maintenance/ops systems cycle back to normal. Local outlets reported widespread evening delays as the outage unfolded.
What Travelers Should Do
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Monitor your flight: Use Alaska’s app or website for real-time status (if unavailable, check airport boards) and watch for push/email updates. The airline signaled flexible travel options for affected customers.
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Build in extra time: Security lines, gate changes, and crew reassignments may extend connection times during the recovery window.
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Know the players: Mainline Alaska operates Boeing 737 family aircraft (including 737-8/-9 MAX), while Horizon Air flies Embraer 175 regional jets—both were subject to the ground stop, so reflows will touch mainline and regional banks alike.
Recent History
This is Alaska’s second IT-related grounding since July, when a similar technology failure forced a multi-hour halt. Such events are rare but not unprecedented across the industry.
Bottom Line
A major IT outage forced Alaska Airlines to ground all flights nationwide Thursday evening, including Horizon Air operations. The FAA-requested stop began before 7:00 p.m. ET and lasted several hours; recovery is underway, but residual delays and cancellations are likely through the next operating day as aircraft and crews are repositioned. If you’re flying Seattle/Tacoma (SEA), Portland (PDX), Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), or Anchorage (ANC), re-check your flight and plan for extra time.
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