(Seattle) An apparent cyberattack disrupted the internet, phones, emails and other systems at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for a third day Monday as Port of Seattle officials worked to investigate the outages and restore full service.
“We are working around the clock to bring back online the necessary systems and to mitigate the impacts on our passengers,” the airport’s general manager of aviation, Lance Lyttle, said at a news conference Sunday.
Lyttle said the airport is investigating with the help of outside experts and working closely with federal partners, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Customs and Border Protection. Officials did not release details about the extent of the outage, but Lyttle said it did not affect the TSA’s ability to screen passengers.
Some airlines, including Delta and Alaska Airlines, reported no service disruptions due to the outage. Both airlines use the airport as a hub. However, the outage affected the Port of Seattle’s baggage sorting system, prompting airlines to warn passengers to avoid checking their bags if possible to avoid potential delays.
The airport also warned travelers to plan for extra hours at the airport and to use airline mobile apps to obtain boarding passes and baggage tags when possible.
Waiting
Still, many travelers faced longer-than-usual security lines and long waits at baggage claims and check-in. Terminal screens were also dark throughout the airport, making it difficult for some to determine their gate. In a Facebook post, the airport said passengers should look for airport staff in green for assistance.
Thai Un, 46, and his family were among those affected. He described frantic scenes at the airport as he arrived there Sunday with his wife and four young children ahead of their flight to Maui.
They waited in line for 45 minutes to drop off their checked bags, only to discover as they continued through the airport that none of the screens displaying flight information were working. Screens next to the various boarding gates indicating the next flight were also not working, he said, and as a result, airline staff relied heavily on the intercom to inform passengers where they needed to go.
Once on the plane, the pilot told passengers there would be a delay because crews had to manually check baggage tags, Mr. Un said. After landing in Maui, two of his family’s bags were not delivered, while another family had lost all of their luggage, including car seats for their young children, Mr. Un said.
“We had to go to customer service,” he said. “Sure enough, we turned around, there were about 30 people in line, all in the same boat as us. It was just chaotic.”
Although Mr. Un’s family eventually received his two missing bags later that day, navigating the chaos of travel was still stressful, he observed.
“The airline or airport should have a backup process in place,” he suggested.
In a Facebook post published Sunday, the airport said port teams were making progress, but there was no estimated time frame for when operations would return to normal.