EVERETT — Alaska Airlines, the main airline serving Paine Field, briefly stopped all of its flights early Wednesday, when the airline told authorities it was experiencing a problem with its computer system.
Based on the information, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a directive early Wednesday grounding all Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air flights.
The FAA lifted the ban after about an hour and Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air flights were cleared to resume.
“This morning we experienced an issue while performing an upgrade to the system that calculates our weight and balance,” Alaska Airlines said in a statement.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we requested a ground stop for all Alaska and Horizon flights, which was instituted at approximately 7:30 a.m. The issue was mitigated and the ground stop for Alaska and Horizon flights expired at 8:30 a.m.,” the statement continued. “We have begun releasing flights.”
The Seattle-based carrier said residual flight delays can be expected throughout the day.
“We apologize for the inconvenience and encourage guests to check the status of their flights on alaskaair.com or the Alaska App prior to heading to the airport,” the airline said.
The Seattle-based carrier and its subsidiary Horizon Air are the only airlines that operate from the Everett airport. Together they operate more than a dozen daily flights from the Paine Field passenger terminal.
Janice Podsada: 425-339-3097; [email protected]; Twitter: @JanicePods.
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Barbara Terrio is a seasoned business journalist, delving into the world of finance, startups, and entrepreneurship. With a knack for demystifying complex economic trends, she helps readers navigate the business landscape. Outside of her reporting, Barbara is an advocate for financial literacy and enjoys mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs.
