Flying out of Seattle getting easier after cyberattack

Travel is getting a lot easier for those flying out of SeaTac Airport following a cyberattack that caused delays and headaches for staff and passengers this week.

SEATAC, Wash. - Travel is getting a lot easier for those flying out of SeaTac Airport following a cyberattack that caused delays and headaches for staff and passengers this week.

Some of the technology is back online and most airlines have gained the ability to print tags for both domestic and international flights, just in time for what's expected to be a record-setting weekend.

Because most airlines can print bag tags and boarding passes again, it means you don't have to be concerned about checking a bag for most carriers.

Monitors for flight information and baggage still need to be fixed, causing some confusion for passengers looking for their bags.

Andrew Lukowiak flew into Seattle from San Diego with lots of luggage in tow for his child, a student at the University of Washington.

"We were a little prepped not knowing what we were going to get into today obviously, with the events this week, but so far, other than just waiting for the bags, we are OK," said Lukowiak. "We only have two of our bags, we have another three coming, so we will just hope for the best right now."

With the monitors still down in the baggage claim area, he had to listen for the announcements on the overhead loudspeaker to figure out where to fetch those bags.

"It’s just not what you are used to, so we just heard the cue and came over to 15," said Lukowiak.

Other travelers also relied on the SEA Airport staff, dressed in green, to find their luggage.

"I heard it over the speaker, and then I verified it with the lady over there," said Gwynne Morrison, flying in from San Diego.

"I saw all these poster boards, and so I just walked up to the woman and asked her. I got here pretty quick," said Ellen Ryan, who was flying into Seattle to visit her granddaughter.

Spokesperson Perry Cooper says the most progress has been made for those flying out. The monitors that have been sitting dark above the international carriers since last Saturday are now mostly back online, and bag tags and boarding passes are now also printing electronically again.

"We’ve already been able to confirm that we’ve had several of our international carriers, that use our common use systems, have actually fully used them to the point of printing out bag tags and boarding passes. They’ve loaded and already taken off," said Cooper.

Cooper says it's also the case for most of the smaller carriers, like Spirit.

"The majority of our common-use carriers are now in that situation, so that’s a huge relief for all those folks that are going to be checking in," said Cooper.

He says the IT team will now start working on flight information and the baggage monitors.

For now, passengers have to rely on announcements, white boards, and the green SEA Airport team for guidance.

"I would say it’s really hard to find without the signage and the typical things you see normally, so make due and just a lot of patience today," said Lukowiak.