Hawaiian Airlines confirmed Thursday it is investigating a cybersecurity incident that affected some of its information technology systems, though the carrier emphasized that flights continue to operate safely and passenger travel remains unaffected.
The airline first disclosed the breach around 8 a.m. Hawaiian Standard Time and updated passengers throughout the day that it was working with federal authorities and cybersecurity experts to address the situation. As of 1 p.m. HST, Hawaiian said it was "continuing to address" the incident while maintaining normal flight operations.
Hawaiian Airlines engaged "appropriate authorities and experts" immediately upon discovering the breach, according to statements posted on the carrier's website12. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed it is monitoring the situation, with an agency spokesperson telling USA Today that "there has been no impact on safety, and the airline continues to operate safely"34.
The airline has not specified which IT systems were compromised or whether passenger data was affected52. A Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson declined to provide additional details about the cause of the cybersecurity incident when contacted by Spectrum News5.
Alaska Airlines, which owns Hawaiian Airlines, also posted notices about the incident on its website, assuring customers that operations from major airports including Seattle, Spokane, Bozeman and Missoula were proceeding without disruption6.
The Hawaiian Airlines incident comes just one week after Canadian carrier WestJet suffered a cyberattack that caused glitches on its website and mobile app12. The timing underscores mounting cybersecurity challenges facing the aviation industry, with attacks on airlines increasing 24% worldwide in the first half of 2023, according to industry data3.
A recent survey found that nearly eight out of ten North American carriers ranked cybersecurity among their top three IT priorities for 20254. The Senate Commerce Committee held hearings last year highlighting that cyberattacks on aviation have surged 74% since 20205.
Despite the ongoing investigation, Hawaiian's website and booking systems appeared to function normally throughout Thursday1. However, at least one passenger reported experiencing system irregularities during a phone reservation call around noon, describing the experience as chaotic before an agent helped resolve seating issues1.
Hawaiian Airlines said it would "provide updates as more information becomes available" but has not indicated when the investigation might conclude2.
