Alaska Airlines Outage Grounds Flights Nationwide as IT System Fails

Alaska Airlines temporarily grounded all its flights on Thursday after suffering a major information technology outage that disrupted operations across the country. The airline confirmed the issue in a statement posted on X, citing a “temporary ground stop” due to the system failure.

The incident began around 4:00 PM PST, according to officials at the Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport in California. Assistant airport manager Samonae Carter said the outage led to “the temporary grounding of aircraft and subsequent flight delays,” though the total number of affected passengers was still being determined.

System Outage Causes Widespread Disruption

Alaska Airlines said it was working to restore normal operations but urged passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport. “We apologize for the inconvenience,” the company said in its public post. The grounding affected both Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air flights nationwide, with delays reported from Seattle to Los Angeles and Portland.

From Sonoma County’s airport, Alaska Airlines operates flights to Seattle, Portland, Burbank, Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego, as well as seasonal routes to Las Vegas. The status of those flights remained uncertain late Thursday as crews worked to resolve the issue.

Passengers seeking information were advised to contact the airline directly via [email protected] or 206-304-0008. The airline did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Associated Press.

Hawaiian Airlines, which was acquired by Alaska Air Group last year, said its flights were unaffected and continued to operate normally.

Similar Incidents and Industry Context

This is not the first time Alaska Airlines has been hit by an IT failure. In July 2025, the carrier grounded flights for about three hours after a critical hardware malfunction at a data center halted systems used for flight operations and passenger check-ins.

Such technical problems are not uncommon in the aviation industry. Major airlines, including Delta, Southwest, and United, have all faced similar outages in recent years, often caused by software errors or network failures that bring flight operations to a standstill. However, most disruptions are typically resolved within hours.

Thursday’s outage underscores the growing dependence of modern airlines on interconnected digital systems. When even one component fails, it can trigger a chain reaction affecting thousands of travelers across multiple airports.

As of Thursday evening, Alaska Airlines said it was gradually lifting the ground stop and resuming flights. Travelers are urged to check for real-time updates before traveling to the airport.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)-

Q1: What caused the Alaska Airlines outage?

The outage was triggered by an information technology system failure that disrupted flight operations nationwide.

Q2: How long were Alaska Airlines flights grounded?

The grounding lasted several hours, beginning around 4:00 PM PST on Thursday, before the airline began restoring service.

Q3: Were all Alaska Airlines flights affected?

Yes. The outage impacted Alaska and Horizon Air flights across multiple airports, including Seattle, Los Angeles, and Portland.

Q4: Was Hawaiian Airlines affected by the outage?

No. Hawaiian Airlines, owned by Alaska Air Group, reported that its flights continued as scheduled.

Q5: Has Alaska Airlines had similar issues before?

Yes. In July 2025, the airline experienced a separate system failure that grounded flights for about three hours.