Alaska Airlines Halts All Flights After Computer System Fails

Third technology failure in 10 months strands thousands, forces carrier to postpone quarterly earnings report as recovery operations extend into Friday.

Alaska Airlines issued a system-wide ground stop Thursday evening after a major computer failure crippled operations, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and marking the carrier’s third technology-related shutdown in 10 months.

The Seattle-based airline announced the temporary halt at 4:21 p.m. Pacific Time in a social media post, advising passengers to “please check your flight status before heading to the airport.” The ground stop affected both Alaska Airlines’ mainline operations and flights operated by regional partner Horizon Air.

Operations remained paralyzed for nearly seven hours. At 7 p.m. Pacific Time, the carrier said it was “actively restoring operations,” but the ground stop wasn’t lifted until 11:30 p.m. Pacific Time.

“A significant IT outage resulted in a system-wide ground stop of flights for Alaska and Horizon,” the airline said in an update posted at 12:24 a.m. Pacific Time Friday. “The ground stop was lifted at 23:30 Pacific. We are working to get our operations back on track.”

The disruption hit hard during the evening travel rush. Alaska Airlines canceled 229 flights Thursday—more than it had reported since midnight, according to the carrier’s latest update. Flight tracking data from FlightAware showed an additional 236 flights were delayed, accounting for 29% of the airline’s Thursday schedule.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Alaska’s main hub, ranked second worldwide Thursday for delays and cancellations, trailing only Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

The problems carried into Friday. FlightAware reported 94 Alaska Airlines flights had been canceled by mid-morning—12% of the day’s schedule—with another 16 flights delayed. The airline warned that “additional flight disruptions are likely as we reposition aircraft and crews throughout our network.”

Alaska Airlines postponed its third-quarter earnings call, originally scheduled for Friday at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The carrier said the delay would “allow our teams to focus on supporting our guests and the recovery of our operation.”

The airline implemented a flexible travel policy for affected passengers. Travelers with tickets purchased on or before Oct. 23 for flights on Oct. 23 or 24 can rebook through Oct. 27 without change fees or fare differences. Passengers can also cancel bookings for a full refund to their account wallet or as credit for future travel. The carrier is providing food and accommodation for stranded travelers.

The outage represents the third IT-related ground stop for Alaska Airlines since December. A similar disruption occurred on Cyber Monday in December, and The Independent reported another three-hour technology outage in July that grounded the carrier’s flights.

Alaska Airlines is a member of the oneworld alliance.