Alaska Airlines requests all flights to be grounded due to an IT outage, the airline says

July 21, 2025 – In a dramatic turn of events that has left tens of thousands of passengers stranded and disrupted flight operations all over the United States, Alaska Airlines has temporarily suspended all its flights because of a record IT system outage.

The carrier officially acknowledged the problem Monday morning as a severe systems crash that had impacted flight operations. Travellers at hubs such as Los Angeles, Seattle-Tacoma, and San Francisco spent hours waiting in line.

What Happened?

From a formal statement issued by Alaska Airlines, the IT breakdown started in the early morning hours of July 21 and extended very fast, affecting the systems used for flight dispatching, gate operations, and boarding passengers.

>”Because of an unexpected systems outage, we are presently unable to fly on our network. For safety and precision, and as a precaution, all flights are temporarily suspended, the airline announced in a statement.

The blackout has been attributed to a core backend system failure — although the exact cause, technical issue or possible cybersecurity vulnerability, is still being probed.

How Are Passengers Affected?

Thousands of travelers were left in the dark on Monday morning. From summer holiday makers jetting off on their breaks through to business commuters scrambling for early morning flights, many were left in the dark.

At the carrier’s primary hub, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, there were long queues in front of self-check-in kiosks, most of which had been disabled. Passengers were repeatedly apologised as passengers waited anxiously for updates.

Sarah Mitchell, a Portland passenger, complained on social media:

> “Our 6:45 AM flight was initially delayed, then canceled. No one at the counter can tell us for sure what’s happening. We got meal vouchers but still no word on when we’re departing again.”

Airports nationwide — from San Diego to Anchorage — experienced the same. Flight boards indicated over 400 flights delayed and at least 120 canceled as of 10 AM (PST).

What Is Alaska Airlines Doing?

The carrier notified that its technical support teams are running around the clock to resume the systems and bring back normalcy into operations. In the meantime, customer service teams have been deployed at airports to support stranded customers.

Alaska Airlines also requested its customers to:

• Check their email and SMS for booking status updates.
•  Utilize the official mobile application or website to reschedule (although the site itself has taken longer than normal).
• Don’t go to the airport unless their flight is rescheduled.
  The airline is also providing free rescheduling and refund of the full fare to the affected passengers.

Accommodation and meal vouchers are being provided to overnight-disrupted passengers.

Impact on the Airline Industry

This happened at the moment when the airline industry is just stabilizing after post-pandemic uncertainty and the peak season of summer holidays. IT disruptions like this impact not only travelers and operations but also undermine customer confidence.

This isn’t the first time an airline canceled flights because of technical problems. Previously, such IT meltdowns have happened at other airlines such as Delta, Southwest, and United, most of them induced by  crashed software upgrades.

Airline industry specialists are confident that as the airlines become increasingly digital, cyber-resilience and reliable IT infrastructure are no longer nice-to-haves, but necessities.

What’s Next?

Alaska Airlines has not provided a schedule for complete recovery but is likely to issue hourly updates. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is tracking developments and coordinating with the airline for compliance and safety.

Travellers intending to fly on Alaska Airlines today or tomorrow are requested to frequently check flight status and maintain travel plans flexible.

The airline has also reassured the public that the safety of travellers is paramount and that no security failure has been put in place so far.

While technical malfunctions are never a joyride and particularly not when they come unannounced — Alaska Airlines’ quick response and openness are lessening the blow.

For the time being, watchfulness and restraint are the watchwords for passengers and staff. With computer systems taking an ever-increasing place at the heart of air travel, the Alaska Airlines outage is a reminder of the fragility of the most advanced technology.

Don’t forget to check back with live updates as the airline battled to find its backup controls.