Sea-Tac Airport preps for 'high' Labor Day travel amid cyberattack issues
Sea-Tac Airport cyberattack impacts stretch into fourth day
On Saturday, the Port of Seattle noticed "nefarious characters" on their system, leading to web system outages and delays at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Now, with busy Labor Day travel conditions expected, the incident reaches into its fourth day.
SEATTLE - Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is navigating the ongoing impacts of a recent cyberattack as it prepares for a busy Labor Day weekend, airport officials said Wednesday.
While essential services like aircraft departures, arrivals, and TSA checkpoints remain operational, some airport systems and services are still disrupted.
According to Perry Cooper, media relations manager at SEA, the airport’s website, WiFi and phone systems continue to be affected by the cyberattack, with some email access restored for staff. Travelers are advised to stay updated through SEA's temporary microsite as the main portseattle.org URL redirects there for essential information.
"Aircraft operations are not impacted by the cyberattack," Cooper said. "However, flight and baggage information displays are down, and common-use system outages are affecting smaller volume and international carriers. Additional SEA staff in green are available throughout the terminal to assist travelers."
Despite the cyber challenges, most travelers will see minimal disruptions. TSA checkpoints are running efficiently, with wait times under 30 minutes, aided by four new lanes added in June at Checkpoints 2 and 3. Perry notes that in July, 93% of travelers cleared security in under 30 minutes, with 74% in less than 20 minutes.
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SEA Airport officials say 'some progress' made on day 4 of cyberattack
With the busy Labor Day travel weekend fast approaching, airport officials are still working to get baggage systems back online after a cyberattack early Saturday morning at SeaTac.
For the upcoming Labor Day weekend, SEA anticipates high passenger volumes, although not surpassing the record-breaking days seen earlier in August. The busiest travel days are expected to be Monday, Sept. 2, with about 193,000 passengers, followed by Friday, Aug. 30, with 187,000 passengers.
SEA officials encourage travelers to plan ahead
- Arrive early: At least two hours before domestic flights and three hours for international flights.
- Alternate transportation: Use public transit, ride-hailing services or shuttle services to avoid congestion at the airport.
- Check for updates: Some international and smaller carriers may still be experiencing longer check-in times due to the cyberattack.
SEA is currently undergoing major construction projects, including the SEA Gateway project near Alaska Airlines ticketing and the Checkpoint 1 relocation in the Gina Marie Lindsey Arrivals Hall. Travelers can track construction impacts and learn more about ongoing projects at Upgrade SEA.
In August, SEA recorded its busiest days ever, with 75,410 passengers screened on Aug. 18, breaking the previous record set a week earlier. This continues a trend, as nine of the top 10 busiest days in SEA’s history occurred in 2024, and July set a record as the busiest month with 5.48 million passengers, up 3.8% from July 2019.
For more information and travel tips for the holiday weekend, travelers can visit ReserveSEA.org for parking reservations or the SEA Spot Saver program for security checkpoint reservations.
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