Some Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air Flights Operating as Computer System Is Partially Restored

SEATTLE, March 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A computer system outage that disrupted about 15 percent of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air flights today has been partially restored. Alaska and Horizon flights are operating, although many are delayed by two hours or more and additional cancellations are possible.

By midday, Alaska and Horizon had canceled about 140 flights affecting some 11,700 passengers. Customers are being re-accommodated on the next available flight at no charge. The airlines are also working to accommodate customers on other carriers.

"We're working to get our operation back to normal as quickly as possible and are very sorry for the inconvenience to our customers," Alaska Airlines President Brad Tilden said. "We are doing all we can to book them on other flights."

Passengers are advised to check the status of their flight on www.alaskaair.com or by calling 1-800-ALASKAAIR before leaving for the airport. Customers whose flight plans are affected are advised to change their flight reservations on alaskaair.com. Alternatively, they can call:

Alaska Airlines Reservations: 1-800-ALASKAAIR (1-800-252-7522)

Horizon Air Reservations: 1-800-547-9308

TTY/TDD Users: 1-800-682-2221

Following flight re-accommodation, the airline encourages customers to contact its Customer Care team at this URL: http://bit.ly/eJUPTe.

Twenty of Alaska Airlines' 58 canceled flights were departing Seattle while another 10 were flying in the state of Alaska. The remaining cancellations affected departures throughout the airline's route system, including six in Southern California, five in Portland and four in the Bay Area. Horizon has canceled 81 flights so far today, including 30 departing from Seattle, 13 in Portland and eight in Spokane, Wash.

A central computer system used to prepare flight plans and other information went down about 3 this morning when a backup power system upgrade was being installed and a transformer malfunctioned. IT specialists have temporarily restored the system and will work on permanent repairs overnight Saturday.

SOURCE Alaska Airlines