Important Highlights
- Alaska Airlines grounded all its mainline flights Sunday night due to a major internal tech outage
- Horizon Air was affected too, since it shares the same systems
- Passengers should plan to delay, check their flight status, and, if necessary, make a replacement reservation.
Everything Stopped. Alaska Airlines Grounded Its Entire Fleet Sunday Night
If you were flying with Alaska Airlines on Sunday night, chances are you either didn’t take off or never made it past the terminal.
Just after 8 p.m. Pacific, the airline ran into a serious IT issue that brought its entire operation to a halt.
Within an hour, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) issued a nationwide ground stop at Alaska’s request. No flights in the air, no new departures.
Everything was frozen.
What happened? Alaska’s internal tech systems the ones that manage everything from flight plans to crew assignments went down.
Without those tools, there was no safe way to continue operations.
So instead of pushing forward and risking mistakes, the airline made the call to pause everything.
It wasn’t ideal for passengers, but it was the responsible move.
How Big Was the Alaska Airlines Shutdown? Pretty Massive
This wasn’t just a glitch that delayed a few flights. Alaska Airlines fielded over 200 aircraft which is the entire mainline fleet of Boeing 737.
Its regional partner, Horizon Air, which blows the embrace 175s, was also affected as both airlines rely on the same technical systems.
Effect? Nationwide. If you were booked on Alaska whether you were flying from Seattle, San Francisco, New York, or a small town you felt the effect.
Many travelers were stranded. Others were left waiting at gates with little information. Some never even got to leave their homes.
Alaska confirmed the cause of chaos in a small statement: “On Pacific at around 8 pm on Sunday, Alaska Airlines experienced an IT outage, affecting our operations.
We requested a temporary, system-wide ground stop for Alaska and Horizon Air Flights until the problem is solved.”
They also apologized and warned that even after the issue was fixed, delays and disruptions would continue into the next day.
Flying Soon? Here’s What You Should Do
If you have a flight of Alaska Airlines in the next 24 to 48 hours, do not assume that things have become normal.
Rebuilding the aircraft, assigning the crew again, and cleaning the backlog takes all the time, even if the IT system is returning to service.
This is what you should do:
- Prior to departing for the airport, find out the status of your flight: Flight Status for Alaska Airlines
- Follow Alaska’s updates on Twitter/X for the latest news
- Rebook if necessary change fees are being waived
Give yourself something, even if your flight is still planned. Perhaps the gate will change and delay.
Why Alaska Airlines took this step – and why it makes sense
When a flight is delayed, especially with small information, it is easy to irritate.
However, Alaska Airlines took necessary action in this example.
When your internal systems stop working and those systems control flight plans, safety checks, and communication between pilots and ground crews flying becomes risky.
Grounding flights across the board was a tough choice, but it was the smart one. Better to deal with delays on the ground than problems in the air.
So… What’s Next for Alaska Airlines Passengers?
Alaska says that its tech teams are working quickly to restore all systems.
Some flights have already resumed, and more expected to follow more.
But everything may take a full day (or more) before everything goes on smoothly.
If you are flying on Monday or Tuesday, do not expect business yet.
The airline has to play catch-up, and so do the airports it flies in and out of.
If you can wait, rebook. If you must travel, keep an eye on your itinerary and try to be flexible.
