Alaska Airlines halts all flights due to major IT failure

Monday 21 July 2025 - 08:07

Alaska Airlines suspended all flights on Sunday evening following a serious IT outage that disrupted its systems, affecting both its main operations and those of its regional branch, Horizon Air.

The airline, based in Seattle, issued a statement confirming the incident, stating that it had "requested a temporary pause of all Alaska and Horizon Air flights until the issue is resolved." The company did not disclose the precise nature of the failure but acknowledged significant operational disruptions. According to tech monitoring platforms, the airline’s website was down around 3:00 a.m. GMT on Monday.

“We sincerely apologize to our customers for the inconvenience,” the statement added, warning of residual impacts throughout the night.

Frustration among passengers

On social media, passengers expressed anger and confusion, criticizing the airline for the lack of timely communication. One traveler posted, “We've been sitting at the airport for two hours with no updates,” while another commented that service had declined significantly in recent years.

A troubled year for the airline

This IT meltdown comes over a year after a door plug detached mid-flight on a Boeing 737 Max 9 operated by Alaska Airlines in January 2024. Although no one was seriously injured, the event led the FAA to ground several aircraft. Investigators later cited inadequate manufacturing training at Boeing as a key factor in the incident.

Alaska Airlines is currently the fifth-largest airline in the United States, especially after acquiring Hawaiian Airlines in 2024. The group operates more than 360 aircraft, serving around 140 destinations, primarily in the western U.S. and Hawaii.