The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA-TAC), Seattle’s primary international airport and the busiest in the Pacific Northwest region.
The airport was hit by a cyberattack over the weekend, leading to a significant IT systems outage that disrupted flight operations. The outage, which began on Saturday, August 24, affected reservation check-in systems, delayed flights, and forced passengers to find alternative ways to access travel information. The outage continues on Tuesday, August 27 as the airport’s website is still not working.
The flySEA app is available to travelers who downloaded it prior to the start of the outage (Aug. 24). No updates are being made, but the map is still accessible and can be used to navigate the airport.
To contain the damage, the airport isolated certain critical systems, but as of now, there is no estimated time for a full return to normal operations.
Some airlines, including Delta and Alaska Airlines, reported no service interruptions from the outage. Both of the airlines use Sea-Tac as a hub.
Still, the outage did affect the Port of Seattle’s baggage sorting system, prompting airlines to warn passengers to avoid checking bags if possible to avoid potential delays, as well as its lost and found system.
The airport also warned travelers to allow extra time at the airport and to use airline mobile applications to get boarding passes and bag tags when possible.
Still, many travelers faced security lines that were longer than normal and long waits at baggage claims and checking.
As SEA-TAC continues to recover from this cyberattack, travelers are encouraged to stay informed and take necessary precautions to minimize disruptions to their travel plans.
