Alaska Airlines Planes Nationwide Affected by FAA’s Issuance of Ground Stop
In a surprising turn of events, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a ground stop advisory for all Alaska Airlines planes on Wednesday. The ground stop was later lifted at around noon, but the incident left passengers in a state of confusion and frustration.
The Seattle-based airline released a statement explaining that the ground stop was initiated due to a problem encountered while performing an upgrade to the system that calculates their weight and balance. The FAA provided little information about the situation, simply stating that all Alaska mainline and subcarrier flights were ground stopped.
Reports from CNBC revealed that the airline’s system used to calculate weight and balance for flights was not functioning correctly. This malfunction raised concerns among passengers, especially in light of recent troubles faced by Boeing, the manufacturer of Alaska Airlines’ aircraft.
Boeing has been embroiled in controversy and scrutiny over the safety of its planes, particularly the 737 Max series. In January, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 experienced a blown-out door plug during a flight, leading to the grounding of dozens of Max planes by the FAA. This incident resulted in thousands of flight cancellations for both Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, the only other carrier with the Max 9 planes.
The emergency grounding of Boeing’s 737 Max 9 jetliner cost United Airlines approximately $200 million in the first three months of 2024. The airline blamed the Boeing disruption for its inability to turn a profit for the quarter. It remains unclear whether the recent ground stop affecting Alaska Airlines is directly related to these ongoing issues with Boeing.
Alaska Airlines assured passengers on social media that they were working diligently to resolve the situation and get people moving as soon as possible. However, no timeline was provided for when flights would resume normal operations.
Alaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Airlines, saw a 2 percent increase in its shares on Wednesday morning. This positive response from investors indicates their confidence in the airline’s ability to overcome these challenges.
In the meantime, Alaska Airlines is cooperating with the U.S. Department of Justice, which has opened a criminal investigation into the blown-out door incident involving the Max 9 aircraft. The airline maintains that it is not a target of the investigation and is fully cooperating with authorities.
As this story continues to develop, passengers eagerly await updates on when they can expect their flights to resume. Alaska Airlines remains committed to ensuring the safety and satisfaction of its customers, and it is hoped that a resolution will be reached soon.
Please note that this article is based on the information available at the time of writing and may be subject to updates and developments.
