Planes roll under the jetway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. (Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times via AP, File)
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SEATTLE – An apparent cyberattack disrupted internet, phone, email and other systems at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for the third straight day on Aug. 26 as Port of Seattle officials worked to investigate the outages and restore full services.
“We are working around the clock to bring the necessary systems back online and mitigate the impact on our passengers,” said the airport’s aviation executive director, Lance Lyttle, in a press conference on August 25.
Lyttle said the airport is investigating the incident with the help of outside experts and is working closely with federal partners, including the Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection. Authorities have not released details on the full extent of the outage, but Lyttle said the TSA’s ability to screen passengers was not affected.
Some airlines, including Delta and Alaska Airlines, reported no service disruptions caused by the outage. Both airlines use Sea-Tac as a hub. However, the outage impacted the Port of Seattle’s baggage sorting system, prompting airlines to warn passengers not to check bags if possible to avoid potential delays, as well as its lost and found system.
Thanks to our partners at WPPA, we are temporarily using this site to publish updates. https://t.co/aI95su1BwW — Port of Seattle – ⚓️ (@PortofSeattle) 27 August 2024
The airport also advised travelers to allow extra time at the airport and, if possible, to use airline mobile apps to obtain boarding passes and baggage tags.
Still, many travelers had to wait longer than usual at security and endured long waits at baggage claim and check-in. Additionally, terminal screens were down throughout the airport, making it difficult for some to find their assigned gate. A Facebook post from the airport said passengers should contact airport staff in green for assistance.
The flySEA app is available to travelers who downloaded it before the outage began (August 24). No updates will be made, but the map will still be accessible and can be used to navigate the airport. pic.twitter.com/B5T8Sezq5R
— Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (@flySEA) 27 August 2024
In a Facebook post, the airport said port teams were making progress but there was no estimated time when systems would return to normal operations.
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