Americans were told to brace for massive travel disruptions late Sunday after Alaska Airlines issued an emergency ground stop for its entire mainline fleet of 238 Boeing aircraft, citing a nationwide IT outage.
The unexpected shutdown began around 8 p.m. Pacific Time and lasted more than three hours, extending to subsidiary Horizon Air as well. Alaska Airlines resumed flights just after 11 p.m. PT (2 a.m. ET) but warned travelers to expect delays into Monday.
“At approximately 8 p.m. Pacific on Sunday, Alaska Airlines experienced an IT outage that’s impacting our operations,” the airline said in a statement. “We requested a temporary, system-wide ground stop for Alaska and Horizon Air flights until the issue is resolved.”
Passengers Left Stranded, Angry
The outage left hundreds of flights grounded and tarmacs blocked nationwide, leading to long delays and mounting passenger frustration.
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One traveler in Denver said he and his fiancée waited two hours on the tarmac before being told to disembark.
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Another passenger, Riley Davis, said his plane sat for over two and a half hours, with no communication from the airline.
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A mother wrote on X that her unaccompanied minor son was stranded onboard with no updates.
“We’ve been sitting on the tarmac for over an hour… people are tired, hungry… This is not okay,” one customer posted.
The airline’s delayed social media updates further fueled customer outrage. “Your statement came two hours after this began,” one user replied. “Where was your communication when people needed it?”
Fallout Continues After Boeing Max Disaster
The system-wide failure comes just weeks after Alaska Airlines’ Boeing 737 Max suffered a near-fatal malfunction, when a door plug flew off mid-flight, exposing passengers to high-altitude conditions.
That January 2024 incident involved Flight 1282 from Portland to Ontario, and an NTSB investigation revealed that the door plug left Boeing’s factory without four key bolts needed to secure it.
“An accident like this only happens when there are multiple system failures,” said NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy.
She praised the heroic actions of the Alaska Airlines crew, noting all 175 passengers survived. But the report criticized Boeing’s manufacturing oversight and federal regulators for failing to catch the issue.
Fifth-Largest U.S. Carrier Faces Scrutiny
Alaska Airlines, the fifth-largest airline in the U.S., serves more than 44 million passengers annually across 120 destinations in five countries. Its primary hubs include Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
The airline said the IT issues have been resolved, but warned of “residual impacts” affecting flights into Monday. Travelers were urged to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
