FAA Alaska Airlines Ground Stop: What Travelers Need to Know
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a temporary ground stop affecting Alaska Airlines and its regional carrier, Horizon Air. The event, triggered by a major IT system outage, disrupted flights nationwide and left passengers scrambling for answers. Below, we break down what happened, why it matters, and how you can navigate the situation if your travel plans were affected.
What Happened?
- On Sunday night, around 8 p.m. Pacific Time, Alaska Airlines requested to initiate a system-wide ground stop due to a critical IT systems failure.
- The halt affected both mainline Alaska Airlines flights and Horizon Air services, grounding all departures for approximately three hours.
- The ground stop was lifted around 11 p.m. Pacific, though delays and residual disruptions continued at airports like Seattle–Tacoma (SEA), Los Angeles (LAX), and Portland (PDX).
What Is a Ground Stop?
A ground stop is an order from the FAA that temporarily halts all departing flights for a specific airline or airport. Unlike weather delays, which can allow planes to depart late, a ground stop keeps aircraft on the ground until further notice. These measures can be triggered by operational failures, weather emergencies, or safety risks.
Why This Ground Stop Is Significant
This latest disruption is more than an inconvenience. Here’s why it stands out:
- IT systems are mission-critical: Without real-time operations and dispatching software, flights cannot legally or
