BUSINESS
Flight Frenzy: Alaska Airlines' Brief Tech Snag
Seattle, USAMon Sep 23 2024
Alaska Airlines experienced a significant tech hitch that grounded its flights in Seattle for a few hours on Sunday night. The airline's technology system suffered disruptions, causing delays and issues with its app and website. The exact cause of the problem remains unclear, but Alaska Airlines quickly got to work resolving the issue, and by 10 pm local time, flights were back in the air.
The brief outage added to the recent challenges faced by travelers through Seattle, a major hub for Alaska Airlines and other carriers. Last week, the operator of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the main hub for Alaska Airlines, was the target of a cyberattack. The hackers demanded $6 million in bitcoin for stolen documents, but the Port of Seattle, which owns and runs the airport, refused to pay.
The cyberattack, which occurred on August 24, was a busy time for the airport, just days before the Labor Day holiday weekend. The airport has been working to recover from the incident.
In a statement, Alaska Airlines apologized for the inconvenience and thanked customers for their patience. The airline encouraged passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport and to consider changing or canceling their flights if necessary.
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questions
How common are such technology outages in the airline industry, and what steps can be taken to prevent them?
Can you imagine a scenario where an airline's technology outage causes a widespread chain reaction of delays and cancellations?
Was the technology outage a deliberate attempt to disrupt Alaska Airlines' operations?