Alaska Airlines Resumes Operations After IT Outage

SEATTLE (AP) — Alaska Airlines passengers can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The airline resumed normal operations Friday after a crippling IT outage forced officials to ground the entire fleet for hours, stranding travelers across the West Coast.

"We're thrilled to be back in the air," said an Alaska Airlines spokesperson in a statement. "Our teams worked tirelessly to resolve this technical disruption and get our customers moving again."

The incident, which began Thursday evening, resulted in 229 flight cancellations and countless delays. Travelers faced long lines at airports as customers waited for updates on their journeys.

"We were stuck at the gate for nearly five hours," said Seattle-based business traveler Maria Chen. "At least the crew kept us informed and even handed out snacks."

While the airline hasn't disclosed the exact cause of the system failure, officials confirmed the issue stemmed from their internal information technology infrastructure. By Friday morning, all systems were back online, and the airline returned to its regular schedule.

"Technology is the backbone of modern aviation," said aviation analyst David Torres. "When systems fail, the ripple effects impact thousands of people and millions of dollars in operations."

The disruption comes during one of the busiest travel seasons of the year. Alaska Airlines has promised affected customers compensation options and is reviewing its IT protocols to prevent future occurrences.

For travelers still experiencing issues, the airline recommends checking the Alaska Airlines app for real-time flight updates.