Alaska Airlines was forced to implement a full nationwide ground stop for its mainline and Horizon Air flights on Sunday evening due to a significant IT system outage. The disruption began around 8 p.m. Pacific Time and affected the entire network of the Seattle-based airline, as reflected on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) status dashboard.

The technical failure led to a temporary suspension of flight operations, causing widespread delays and cancellations across multiple airports in the U.S. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Alaska Airlines’ central hub, was among the worst affected. As reported by The Economic Times, hundreds of flights were either grounded or delayed, leaving travelers stranded and uncertain about their schedules.

In a statement to CBS News, the airline confirmed it had "experienced an IT outage that's impacting our operations" and had issued "a temporary, system-wide ground stop for Alaska and Horizon Air flights until the issue is resolved". The airline also warned of lingering operational impacts, noting passengers should expect ongoing disruptions into the night.

While the root cause of the outage has not been revealed, Alaska Airlines assured that its technical teams were actively working to restore normal service. A message posted on the carrier’s website stated: "We are experiencing issues with our IT systems. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working to resolve the issues."

As reported by KIRO 7, some services began resuming gradually by late Sunday. However, neither the airline nor the FAA provided a clear timeline for when full service would be reinstated.

Passengers took to social media to voice frustration over long wait times, non-functional customer support apps, and confusion at airport gates. Meanwhile, Portland International Airport reported minimal delays, with only a few Alaska Airlines flights affected by 9:15 p.m., according to KATU.

This outage is among the most significant operational disruptions for Alaska Airlines in recent years. The last major glitch of this scale occurred in 2022, resulting in widespread delays due to a similar system malfunction.

As of now, Alaska Airlines has advised passengers to regularly check their flight status before heading to the airport and has not confirmed any details regarding rebooking assistance or compensation. The airline continues to be a major player in both domestic and international air travel, especially across the U.S. West Coast.