Alaska Airlines experienced a significant IT outage that led to a temporary grounding of its entire fleet, including Horizon Air flights. The disruption began around 8 p.m. Pacific Time. The airline requested a system wide ground stop from the Federal Aviation Administration. The ground stop was lifted by 11 p.m. Pacific Time, allowing operations to resume. However, Alaska Airlines indicated that residual impacts would affect flights throughout the evening as aircraft and crews were repositioned.
Unspecified IT Outage Causes Disruption
The airline did not immediately specify the nature of the IT outage that led to the grounding. This marks the second time in just over a year that Alaska Airlines has halted its fleet due to IT related issues. In April 2024, the airline grounded its entire fleet because of a problem with the system that calculates the weight and balance of its planes. That incident caused delays and cancellations, impacting thousands of passengers.
Fleet Composition and Operations
As of 2025, Alaska Airlines operates an all Boeing fleet consisting of 238 Boeing 737 aircraft and 87 Embraer 175 aircraft. The airline’s fleet serves a network of over 100 destinations across the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii, as well as international routes to destinations such as Tokyo and Seoul. Alaska Airlines is a member of the Oneworld alliance and operates out of six hubs with its primary hub at Seattle Tacoma International Airport.
Cybersecurity Concerns in the Aviation Sector
The timing of Alaska Airlines’ IT outage coincided with warnings from tech companies Google and Palo Alto Networks about the Scattered Spider hacking group’s interest in the aviation sector. While no direct link has been confirmed between the outage and these cybersecurity threats, the incident highlights ongoing concerns about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure in the aviation industry. In June, Canada’s WestJet Airlines experienced a cyber incident and Australia’s Qantas faced a data breach in July though these incidents did not affect flight operations.
Looking Ahead
Alaska Airlines has not yet specified the cause of the IT outage. The airline is likely conducting a thorough investigation to determine the root cause and implement measures to prevent future disruptions. As the aviation industry continues to rely heavily on technology, ensuring the resilience of IT systems is crucial to maintaining safe and efficient operations.
