Alaska Airlines faced a temporary halt in all flights on Wednesday morning due to a glitch in the system responsible for calculating weight and balance of their planes. The issue, which prompted the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to implement a ground stop, affected departures for both Alaska Airlines and its regional carrier, Horizon Air. The ground stop was put in place around 7:50 am PT and lasted for approximately an hour, causing disruptions to the airline's operations.
According to a statement released by Alaska Airlines, the problem arose during a system upgrade related to weight and balance calculations. While the issue has been resolved, the airline anticipates delays as a result of the disruption. Passengers were assured that efforts were being made to resume normal operations as quickly as possible.
Following the FAA's decision to halt mainline departures for Alaska Airlines at the carrier's request, concerns arose among investors, leading to a momentary dip in Alaska Air Group's shares. Despite this, the stock recovered and was showing a 2.6% increase at 11:51 ET. The airline has been transparent about the situation, addressing passenger complaints on social media platforms and sharing updates on the ongoing efforts to mitigate the impact of the disruption.
Notably, the ground stop did not extend to flights operated by SkyWest, a regional service provider associated with Alaska Airlines and other carriers. This exclusion allowed SkyWest flights to continue unaffected amidst the temporary suspension of departures for Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. As the airline works to normalize its operations and manage the residual delays, the focus remains on ensuring the safety and efficiency of all future flights.