Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has confirmed that a cyberattack is likely behind the ongoing IT system outage that caused disruptions to reservation check-in systems and flight delays over the weekend.
SEA-TAC is Seattle’s primary international airport and the busiest in the Pacific Northwest, handling nearly 51 million passengers in 2023. The airport is a major hub for Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Line and serves 91 domestic and 28 international destinations.
On Saturday, August 24, the Port of Seattle warned that it and SEA Airport were experiencing an ongoing outage due to a “possible cyberattack” and that certain critical systems would be isolated to contain the damage.
“The Port of Seattle, including SEA Airport, is experiencing an internet and web systems outage affecting some systems at the airport. Passengers are asked to check with their airlines for the latest information regarding their flights,” reads an X-thread posted by the Port of Seattle.
“This morning, the Port of Seattle experienced certain system outages indicating a possible cyberattack. The Port has isolated critical systems and is currently working to restore full operations. However, there is no estimated time for recovery yet. (cont.)”
“We are working closely with relevant authorities and partners to assist potentially affected travelers. 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.”
The outages continued on Sunday. The airport recommended that passengers check travel information, such as their flight gate numbers, on airline websites.
At the time of writing, the airport’s website is still offline, with the official X-Name advising passengers that they should perform certain actions, such as checking in for their upcoming flights through their airline’s apps, as on-site terminals remain out of service.
“System outages continue to occur at the Port of Seattle, including at SEA Airport,” the airport operator’s latest update said.
“Port teams continue to make progress in restoring systems to normal operation, but there is no estimated time for restoration.”
Travelers travelling on Monday are advised to:
- Check in online and collect your boarding pass before departure.
- If possible, limit yourself to hand luggage.
- Please allow additional time to get to SEA and your gate.
- Please confirm gate details with your airline as flight screens are still unavailable.
The system outages had no impact on flights. However, several people reported that in some cases there were delays of several hours.
Alaska Airlines also informed its customers on X that the baggage sorting system at SEA airport was “extremely limited.” The airline recommended that passengers take only essential items and avoid checking baggage if possible.
Anyone who needs to check a bag should attach a label with their full name and contact information. The Alaska Airlines website explains that this information will be used to track bags that did not appear on the baggage carousel upon arrival due to the current situation.
An FBI spokesman confirmed to the Seattle Times that they were “aware of the incident and working with partners to determine what happened,” but did not provide any further information.
So far, no ransomware groups or other threat actors have claimed responsibility for the attack.
