Understanding Airline IT System Failures: Lessons for the Industry

Alaska Airlines recently became another victim of IT system failures causing them to keep their aircraft grounded.

Tony Scott found himself on a flight from Seattle to Dallas that was interrupted in July, when the issues began.

On a Sunday evening around 8 p.m., passengers were asked to disembark. The following day saw Alaska Airlines cancelling numerous flights, significantly affecting their operations at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

"It was absolute mayhem," recalls Scott. "Baggage handlers were swamped, and customer service was under strain, leaving passengers without adequate information."

Alaska Airlines joins an extended roster of airlines impacted by IT disruptions over recent times.

The dependability of flights hinges on intricate computer systems that handle everything from crew scheduling to seating arrangements. Yet, these systems occasionally falter, sometimes resulting in the grounding of an entire airline.

Each incident varies, from a flawed software update last year to a more extensive issue that crippled Southwest Airlines three years back. Specialists in the field suggest there are insights to be gleaned from these failures and potential improvements.

Why Systems Fail and Potential Solutions

"The whole system is like a delicate ecosystem," notes Eash Sundaram, former CIO of JetBlue Airways.

A unique challenge within the industry is the dearth of commercially available software solutions suitable for all operations, necessitating airlines to either custom-build or piece together technology from various suppliers.

"When one segment collapses, the effects spread rapidly," warns Sundaram, now leading the venture firm Utpata Ventures. "Cancelation of even 100 flights can bring the entire network to a halt."

Alaska Airlines attributed the July outage to the malfunction of critical hardware at one of its data centers, with another similar incident causing more than 100 flight cancellations in October.

Tony Scott, who experienced the chaos firsthand, had to spend the night on the floor at the Seattle airport. With his background as a former CIO at Microsoft and the federal government, Scott offers insights into why airline IT systems are prone to these extensive failures.

"The technology web is complex and old, crafted by various minds at different times," explains Scott, now CEO of a cybersecurity company. "Starting from scratch would result in a vastly different, more efficient design."

Lessons from Past Failures

Reviving a grounded airline's network is a complex task. This was a hard lesson for Southwest Airlines during a massive winter storm three years ago, which paralyzed their operations as opposed to other airlines that resumed services swiftly.

Lauren Woods, Southwest's CIO, mentions their response was hindered in key cities crucial to their crew network, although she was just transitioning into the role in late 2022.

Woods explains that the airline has since heavily invested in technological upgrades, particularly in systems managing flight crews.

"We've been able to detect issues earlier within the crew network. These improvements are crucial for managing larger disruptions than before," Woods remarks. "Our advances significantly advantage us as a forward-looking airline."

Though not exempt from technology issues, Southwest can now address them swiftly. "Even if tech problems arise, a rapid recovery, even from shorter outages, mitigates the impact," Woods points out.

Ultimately, IT outages in airlines are likely to reoccur. The real measure for airlines is the speed at which they can resume operations and get passengers flying again.