Breaking: Alaska Airlines Grounds All Mainline Flights Due To FAA Order

James

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Post on Jul 21, 2025

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Breaking: Alaska Airlines Grounds All Mainline Flights Due to FAA Order

A nationwide FAA system outage has forced Alaska Airlines to ground all mainline flights, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. The unexpected disruption is causing significant travel chaos across the United States, highlighting the vulnerability of the nation's air travel system to technological failures.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a ground stop for all domestic departures shortly after 7:00 AM ET on January 11, 2024, citing a system outage affecting its Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system. This system provides crucial safety information to pilots, including weather alerts, runway closures, and other operational details. Without access to this critical data, airlines are unable to safely operate flights.

Alaska Airlines, a major carrier operating extensively across the western United States and beyond, was among the first to announce a complete grounding of its mainline fleet. This affects all scheduled departures from its hubs in Seattle, Portland, Anchorage, and other major cities. Regional flights, operated by Horizon Air, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group, appear to be less affected, but significant delays and cancellations are still possible.

What does this mean for Alaska Airlines passengers?

If you have an Alaska Airlines flight scheduled today, January 11th, 2024, you should immediately:

• Check the Alaska Airlines website: The airline's website is the best source for real-time updates on flight status and potential rebooking options.
• Contact Alaska Airlines customer service: Be prepared for long wait times. The airline's phone lines are likely experiencing high call volume.
• Monitor news updates: Continue to check reputable news sources for the latest information on the FAA system outage and its impact on air travel.

The Impact of the FAA System Outage

This unprecedented nationwide ground stop underscores the critical role of the NOTAM system in ensuring the safe operation of air travel. The FAA is working diligently to restore the system, but the timeline for a full resolution remains unclear. The ripple effects of this outage are already being felt across the entire aviation industry, affecting countless passengers and causing significant economic disruption. Airlines are scrambling to reschedule flights and accommodate affected passengers.

Beyond Alaska Airlines:

The FAA's ground stop is affecting all airlines operating within the United States. Major carriers like Delta, United, American, and Southwest are also experiencing widespread delays and cancellations. This situation emphasizes the interconnectedness of the aviation industry and the potential for widespread disruption caused by even a single point of failure.

Looking Ahead:

The situation is rapidly evolving. While the FAA is working to resolve the issue, the length of the ground stop and the full extent of the disruption remain unknown. Passengers are urged to remain patient, flexible, and to monitor official channels for updates. The focus now is on safely restoring normal flight operations and minimizing the inconvenience to affected travelers. We will continue to update this article as more information becomes available.

Keywords: Alaska Airlines, FAA, ground stop, flight cancellations, flight delays, NOTAM system outage, air travel disruption, nationwide ground stop, Alaska Airlines flights, Seattle Airport, Portland Airport, Anchorage Airport, aviation news, travel news, breaking news.