Alaska Airlines resumes normal flight services following technical glitches in their system.
In an unexpected turn of events, Alaska Airlines faced a three-hour IT outage on July 20, 2025, around 8 p.m. Pacific Time. The incident grounded all flights, but normal operations resumed late in the night. However, there is no confirmed evidence that the outage was caused by the "Scattered Spider" hacking group or the recent Microsoft server attacks.
The outage coincided with Microsoft's alert about active cyberattacks targeting its server software, but Alaska Airlines has not confirmed any connection between those external cyber threats and its system-wide outage. Tech companies Google and Palo Alto Networks have warned about the "Scattered Spider" group's interest in the aviation sector, and other airlines such as Hawaiian Airlines and WestJet faced cyber attacks in June 2024.
Alaska Airlines has remained tight-lipped about the specific cause of its IT outage, leaving open the possibility that it could be due to internal technical problems rather than an external hack. The airline did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment on whether the outage was related to the Microsoft announcement.
It is worth noting that this is the second time in just over a year that Alaska Airlines has halted its fleet due to an IT issue. In April 2024, the airline grounded its entire fleet due to an issue with the system that calculates the weight and balance of its planes. The nature of the July 2023 IT outage is yet to be disclosed.
Alaska Air Group, which maintains an operational fleet of 238 Boeing 737 aircraft and 87 Embraer 175 aircraft, expects residual impacts to its flights due to the IT outage, and it will take time to restore normal operations. The financial impact of the Hawaiian Airlines hack in June 2024 is still being determined by Alaska Air Group.
In summary, the Alaska Airlines IT outage on July 20, 2025, was not confirmed to be linked to the "Scattered Spider" hacking group or the recent Microsoft server attacks. The airline continues to investigate or keep details undisclosed.
[1] [Alaska Airlines IT outage: What we know so far](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/20/alaska-airlines-it-outage-what-we-know-so-far.html) [2] [Alaska Airlines IT outage leaves passengers stranded](https://www.seattletimes.com/business/alaska-airlines-it-outage-leaves-passengers-stranded/)
- Despite Tech companies such as Google and Palo Alto Networks warning about the "Scattered Spider" group's interest in the aviation sector, the cause of Alaska Airlines' IT outage remains unconfirmed, leaving open the possibility that it could instead be due to internal technical problems or other unidentified factors within the industry.
- The financial impact of the Alaska Airlines' IT outage on July 20, 2025, is likely to be significant, as the airline's revenue depends on the smooth operation of its business, particularly in the competitive field of air travel where technology plays a crucial role in ensuring reliable service.
