Americans were told to brace for massive travel disruptions late Sunday after Alaska Airlines issued an emergency ground stop for its entire mainline fleet of 238 Boeing aircraft, citing a nationwide IT outage.
The unexpected shutdown began around 8 p.m. Pacific Time and lasted more than three hours, extending to subsidiary Horizon Air as well. Alaska Airlines resumed flights just after 11 p.m. PT (2 a.m. ET) but warned travelers to expect delays into Monday.
“At approximately 8 p.m. Pacific on Sunday, Alaska Airlines experienced an IT outage that’s impacting our operations,” the airline said in a statement. “We requested a temporary, system-wide ground stop for Alaska and Horizon Air flights until the issue is resolved.”
Passengers Left Stranded, Angry
The outage left hundreds of flights grounded and tarmacs blocked nationwide, leading to long delays and mounting passenger frustration.
One traveler in Denver said he and his fiancée waited two hours on the tarmac before being told to disembark.
Another passenger, Riley Davis, said his plane sat for over two and
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