Alaska Airlines Grounds Flights Due to Tech Outage
Alaska Airlines, one of the largest US carriers, suspended all its flights on Thursday night due to a technical outage. The airline announced that it had experienced an “IT outage affecting operations” and had issued a temporary ground stop. However, the nature of the outage was not elaborated upon. This move affected not only Alaska Airlines but also its subsidiaries, including Horizon Air.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) often issues ground stops at the request of airlines. In this case, the ground stop included Horizon Air, according to the FAA’s advisory. The exact cause of the outage is still unclear, but the airline indicated on social media that its systems were being restored. Despite this, the outage resulted in cancellations of some flights on Thursday evening and into the next day.
Impact on Flights and Passengers
According to flight tracking website FlightAware, at least 39 Alaska Airlines flights were canceled, and 241 were delayed as of late Thursday night. This disruption is likely to have affected thousands of passengers, especially considering Alaska Airlines’ extensive network of 140 destinations worldwide, including 37 states and 12 countries. The airline’s primary focus on the West Coast means that many travelers in this region were likely impacted.
The US air travel industry has recently experienced stresses due to the government shutdown that began in October, with shortages of air traffic controllers causing flight delays at several airports. While the cause of Alaska Airlines’ tech outage is unrelated, it adds to the existing challenges faced by the industry. The airline’s efforts to restore its systems and resume operations are crucial in minimizing further disruptions to passengers.
Restoration Efforts and Next Steps
Alaska Airlines has stated that it is “actively restoring our operations following an IT outage.” The airline’s social media updates provide some insight into the progress being made, but the exact timeline for full restoration of services is unknown. Passengers affected by the cancellations and delays are advised to check with the airline for the latest information and updates on their flights.
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