Airline Service Resumed: Alaska Airlines Post-Nationwide Suspension Due to IT Malfunction
Alaska Airlines Experiences IT Outage, Resumes Operations with Residual Delays
On July 20, 2025, Alaska Airlines faced an unexpected IT outage that affected all its mainline and Horizon Air flights for approximately three hours. The incident, which started around 8:00 p.m. Pacific Time, caused a system-wide ground stop at the request of the airline.
The root cause of the outage was traced back to an unexpected failure of a critical piece of multi-redundant hardware at Alaska Airlines’ data centers, manufactured by a third party. Despite ongoing investigations, no formal or ongoing investigation into the causes or further details of the outage has been reported.
The outage had a significant impact on passengers, with some reporting waiting for hours without clear information from staff due to the impact on communication systems. Social media was flooded with complaints and photos of crowded terminals as a result of the IT disruption.
Passengers affected by the outage are urged to check their flight status before leaving for the airport. They can rebook their flights via the airline's app or website. Alaska Airlines has pledged to review and reinforce its IT systems to prevent future disruptions.
The airline initiated a ground stop, halting all takeoffs for safety and compliance during the outage. The FAA confirmed the ground stop was issued at Alaska Airlines' request due to the internal system failure.
Though operations have resumed, Alaska Airlines has warned of residual delays and a possible ripple effect on Monday schedules. Passengers may contact Alaska Airlines customer service for compensation or travel vouchers if eligible.
The incident is the latest in a series of tech-related airline disruptions affecting U.S. carriers. Alaska Airlines serves over 120 destinations in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and Costa Rica, and the outage affected flight planning and dispatch operations at airports such as Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
The airline encourages guests traveling on Monday to check their flight status on the airline's app or website before heading to the airport. The event serves as a reminder that even the most reliable carriers can experience technical breakdowns.
- As the digital age advances, even general-news outlets like aviation incidents such as the recent Alaska Airlines IT outage, which happened on July 20, 2025, impacting all its mainline and Horizon Air flights.
- To improve infrastructure and logistics for its passengers, Alaska Airlines has pledged to review and reinforce its IT systems, a commitment driven by the recent outage caused by a third-party manufactured critical hardware failure.
- The ripple effect of this disruption can be felt across various industries, including lifestyle and travel, as delays and subsequent cancellations could snowball into inconvenience for passengers planning trips to Africa, for instance, where ports play an integral part in their journeys.
- With technological advancements revolutionizing the aviation sector, such events underline how technology can create unprecedented challenges in day-to-day operations; a lesson well-served to the general public considering the vast interconnectedness of modern systems.
- Following the outage, Alaska Airlines encourages travelers to utilize their digital platforms such as the airline's app and website to check flight statuses and stay informed, especially during peak travel periods like Mondays, when weather, traffic, and other unforeseen factors might pose additional challenges.
