Travelers in Seattle are being asked to complete as many preparation processes as possible at home after Seattle-Tacoma International Airport was left without internet and web systems following a cyberattack.

The Port of Seattle, which includes the airport, released a statement Saturday afternoon warning that a few hours earlier, “certain system outages had occurred that indicated a possible cyberattack.”

“The port has isolated critical systems and is currently working to restore full operations. However, there is no estimated time for restoration yet,” port officials said. The port’s website was still down Monday morning.

“We are working closely with relevant authorities and partners to assist travelers who may be affected. If you are traveling today, please check with our airline partners for travel information and allow additional time to get to SEA and your gate.”

They urged passengers to manage their boarding passes and checked bags through airline apps before they arrive at the airport. Additional time is needed to navigate the airport and terminal screens still struggle to display up-to-date flight information.

The Seattle Times reported that some airlines were forced to manually sort over 8,000 pieces of luggage and fill out boarding passes by hand.

The Port of Seattle did not respond to requests for an update on the situation. In Saturday’s statement, it said there was no estimated time when systems would return to normal operation.

The airport is the busiest in the Pacific Northwest, handling more than 50 million passengers in 2023. The Port of Seattle – a government agency that owns parks, container terminals and more – has a budget of $670 million and employs about 2,000 people.

Protecting cybersecurity around ports and airports has become a major focus for government agencies as the number of malicious attacks has increased.

The TSA issued emergency regulations in 2023 for airports and aircraft operators requiring them to have pre-approved implementation plans for enhanced security measures.

Over the past three years, there have been dozens of cyberattacks and ransomware incidents at ports and airports. Ports in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal, Japan, Australia and US cities such as Houston have all been targeted.

President Joe Biden issued an executive order in February giving the U.S. Coast Guard more authority to respond to cyber incidents after Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warned that cyberattacks were one of the biggest threats to ports.

Seattle is still recovering from a ransomware attack in May that took down the city’s library system. There were also ransomware attacks on a major cancer center in the city and several other government agencies.

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