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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallYes. The Port of Seattle initially described outages at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA, or Sea-Tac) on August 24, 2024, as consistent with a possible cyberattack. On September 13, the Port confirmed it was a ransomware attack by the criminal group Rhysida. The incident disrupted some Port-provided and shared passenger services, but the Port said safe travel continued and major airline and federal partner systems were not affected. It is a past incident, not a current airport outage.
What happened at Sea-Tac?
On August 24, 2024, the Port of Seattle, which operates SEA Airport, reported outages consistent with a possible cyberattack. It isolated critical systems and said it had no initial estimate for when they would return. The Port later confirmed that the incident was a ransomware attack by Rhysida. It said the attackers accessed parts of its computer systems, encrypted access to some data, and obtained some Port data. The Port also said it had refused the ransom demand and had detected no new unauthorized activity since August 24, as of its September 13 update. Port of Seattle incident archive
The Port’s recovery measures included disconnecting systems from the internet. It said the attack and those protective steps hindered services, while most affected airport systems returned within the week. The initial uncertainty about the cause was therefore resolved in the Port’s later account: it was a ransomware attack, not merely an unexplained outage.
Is Sea-Tac Airport still having outages?
No. The disruption occurred in August 2024, and the Port’s dated updates describe a staged recovery. On August 31, the Port said aircraft operations were back to normal with minimal delays. By September 2, it reported airport operations running smoothly and minimal TSA waits. Wi-Fi and common-use kiosks were reported restored on September 4, and by September 11 passenger displays showed schedules for all airlines. The Port said most affected airport systems came back within a week, but some internal systems were still being restored after passenger operations had normalized. These updates do not establish that every internal Port system was restored on a particular date. Port of Seattle incident archive
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What systems and services went down?
The disruption involved Port-provided or shared services used at the airport, rather than a confirmed failure of every airline’s own technology. The Port listed these services as hindered by the attack and response:
- Baggage services, including baggage-source messaging used by some carriers
- Check-in kiosks and common-use ticketing
- Passenger flight and baggage display boards
- Airport Wi-Fi
- The Port website and flySEA app
- Reserved parking
SEA Airport Aviation Managing Director Lance Lyttle’s Senate testimony also noted effects on some cruise and marina systems. Port of Seattle incident archive; Lance Lyttle’s September 18, 2024 written testimony
Did the cyberattack affect flights or TSA?
The incident made some airport services less convenient and caused delays, particularly where baggage processes were affected. It should not be described as a shutdown of flights, aircraft operations, TSA screening, or airline systems. The Port said passengers could safely travel to and from SEA throughout the incident; it also said major airline and cruise partner systems and federal partner systems, including those of the FAA, TSA, and CBP, were not affected. Those are the Port’s statements about the incident’s scope and safety. Port of Seattle, April 3, 2025 notice; Lance Lyttle’s Senate testimony
Lyttle described the operational outcome this way: “Although there were some delays – particularly when a part of the baggage system was down – the airport has been able to successfully maintain regular operations.” September 18, 2024 written testimony
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How did the airport keep travelers moving?
Airport staff coordinated with airlines, TSA, and CBP and used backup and manual procedures when shared systems were unavailable. Lyttle said employees knew primary, backup, and manual processes. For international and lower-volume carriers that relied on common-use systems, staff used paper boarding passes and baggage tickets. His testimony records more than 4,000 employee hours over a ten-day period supporting operations, customer service, and wayfinding, and over 7,000 pieces of luggage moved manually during the first days while some airlines lacked access to baggage-source messaging. Both figures are from Lyttle’s September 18, 2024 testimony. Lance Lyttle’s written testimony
During the outage, the Port advised travelers to use airline apps for boarding passes, flight details, and baggage information, allow extra time, and prioritize carry-on luggage where feasible. Port of Seattle incident archive
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Was personal information exposed?
Yes. In an April 3, 2025 notice, the Port said its investigation into impacted information was complete and that attackers had accessed and downloaded personal information from previously used systems, primarily associated with employee, contractor, and parking data. The Port said records could include names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers or their last four digits, driver’s license or other government ID numbers, and some medical information. It announced approximately 90,000 individual notifications for people with an available mailing address; approximately 71,000 affected individuals lived in Washington state. The Port said it held very little passenger information and that payment-processing systems were not affected. These figures do not mean that 90,000 passengers had data stolen. Port of Seattle, April 3, 2025 notice
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