The entire fleet of Alaska Airlines planes was grounded after an IT issue, which meant none of the company’s aircraft could fly.
Alaska Airlines broke the news on X, explaining that they experienced an “IT outage” on July 20 at around 8 PM. The outage “resulted in a temporary, system-wide ground stop for Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air flights.”
The airline explains that the outage was only temporary, and systems started returning to normal three hours later at 11 PM. “As we reposition our aircraft and crews, there will most likely be residual impacts to our flights. It will take some time to get our overall operations back to normal,” the statement reads. Alaska Airlines apologized for the inconvenience and recommended that passengers check the status of their flights before traveling.
It remains unclear what caused the outage, and although it was brief, it spread concern and confusion among potential flyers. News outlet KOIN interviewed several passengers at Portland International Airport. Some reportedly said they made arrangements with other airlines after the mishap.
One woman told the outlet she was on an Alaska Airlines plane for an hour before authorities deplaned the aircraft. She said her “confidence is a bit shaken. I don’t fly a lot. So, you know, I guess we’ll see what happens.”
Alaska Airlines Workers Were Confused By The Outage
Another passenger told KOIN that Alaska officials were just as confused as they were. Staff were reportedly very apologetic. “They just saw a network system error, and they couldn’t figure out any more than we could,” they said. The passenger claimed that workers even suggested calling the 1-800 number for information. “It was a 2.5-hour wait time for that,” they said.
Last month, a hailstorm forced Delta Airline to take 100 of its planes in Atlanta out of service for inspection. The company revealed that it diverted over 90 flights as storms worsened in the area. Delta also pulled 100 planes from service at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport after hail battered the aircraft.
A Delta spokesperson blamed severe weather for more than 380 system cancellations on June 28. The company advised passengers to brace for more disruption as staff completed required rest and maintained the aircraft.