SEATTLE- Alaska Airlines (AS) resumes operations after a major IT outage grounds its entire fleet. The event affected Alaska Airlines and its Horizon Air (QX) regional division, disrupting flights at multiple airports, including Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).
The software issue began late Sunday night (July 20), prompting the airline to halt all its flights nationwide, stranding passengers at various airports, including Denver (DEN), Los Angeles (LAX), and Portland (PDX).
Alaska Airlines confirmed restoration of normal operations early Monday (July 21) via its official X account. However, due to the extent of the outage, lingering disruptions are expected.
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 | Photo: Cado PhotoAlaska Airlines IT Outage
The IT outage began around 11:00 PM Eastern Time, when Alaska Airlines initiated a voluntary ground stop for all flights operated under its brand.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) later confirmed that the measure also extended to Horizon Air, a regional subsidiary of Alaska Airlines.
Photo: Alaska Airlines via XAt the time of the outage, Alaska Airlines operated a fleet of 238 Boeing 737 aircraft, while Horizon Air operated 45 Embraer E175 aircraft. The software failure led to the temporary suspension of flights throughout the U.S., with major airports reporting delays and grounded aircraft.
The outage lasted for approximately three hours. By 2:00 AM on Monday, the airline lifted the grounding and began restoring normal operations.
Alaska Airlines acknowledged that rescheduling aircraft and crew would take time and that passengers should expect residual delays for some time.
Horizon Air Embraer E175 | Photo: Alaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines Flights Delayed Nationwide
The software glitch left scores of passengers stranded both on board aircraft and inside airport terminals. Multiple travellers reported being stuck on the tarmac for extended periods with limited updates from crew or staff.
In Denver (DEN), an Alaska Airlines passenger reported being held on a grounded plane for over two hours before eventually deplaning. Even after operations resumed, many flyers were left without their checked baggage or any confirmed rebooking.
Long queues formed at customer service desks, and social media platforms were flooded with passenger complaints regarding a lack of communication and logistical confusion.
Photo: By Eric Salard – N408AS LAX, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43543100Alaska Airlines Network and Fleet
As the fifth-largest carrier in the United States, Alaska Airlines serves over 120 destinations across five countries. The legacy American airline flies more than 44 million passengers annually.
The airline operates a hub-and-spoke model centred around its home base in Seattle (SEA), with major operations also based in Los Angeles (LAX), Portland (PDX), San Francisco (SFO), and Anchorage (ANC).
Horizon Air, its sister concern, supports Alaska’s network with short-haul services primarily in the western U.S. Its current fleet comprises Embraer E175 jets, though it once flew the Bombardier Q400 turboprops as well.
Horizon Air Embraer E175 | Photo: Alaska AirlinesFlight Operations Recovery Proceedings
Although Alaska Airlines flight operations have resumed scheduled services, recovery proceedings are ongoing. The airline is working to reposition aircraft and reassign flight crews as quickly as possible.
Alaska Airlines extended an apology via social media but also advised travellers in the U.S. to check their flight status and expect delays throughout the day.
In response to the major outage, the airline is reviewing its IT infrastructure and emergency response protocols to minimise the risk of similar incidents in the future.
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