Alaska Air Briefly Grounds Operations Across Seattle-Tacoma Airport Due to System-Wide Technology Malfunction
SEATTLE, WA — Officials at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) confirmed a temporary ground stop on all Alaska Air and Horizon Air flights today following a critical system-wide technology failure. The incident, which occurred during peak morning travel hours, forced the airline to halt departures for approximately 90 minutes while engineers worked to restore essential reservation and check-in platforms. What was the cause: an unexpected software update error within the airline's internal network. When did it happen: shortly after 7:00 AM Pacific Time. Where: primarily at the airline's largest hub, SEA, though knock-on delays were reported across its West Coast network. Who was affected: thousands of passengers awaiting departure, many of whom faced extended queues at ticketing counters and gate areas. How was it resolved: the airline's IT team deployed a manual override protocol which re-stabilized the system by 8:35 AM, allowing normal operations to resume. As a result, Alaska Air has issued a travel waiver for impacted itineraries through the remainder of the week. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed it was not a security-related event.