Sea-Tac Airport continues recovery from cyberattack during busy weekend

Amid a cyberattack and during one of the busiest weekends of the year for traveling, the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport struck an optimistic tone, reporting that it has made progress in its recovery and that flyers should not experience any major problems.

“Virtually all airlines are back to full service for ticketing and baggage management,” a Sunday update from the Port of Seattle said. “Few flight delays or disruptions are occurring beyond a typical busy holiday volume period.”

The cyberattack that struck the airport on Aug. 24 caused internet and technology outages throughout the airport.

As a result, agents at common-use gates that rely on Port software had to handwrite boarding passes and airlines sorted through a luggage mess that resulted in bags getting delivered to travelers well after they reached their destinations.

Those issues have been resolved, the Port says. During Labor Day weekend, people were getting through security. Dining and retail shops were open for business. And the common-use gates – serving international airlines as well as Frontier, Spirit and WestJet – appeared to be running normally again.

Display boards showing travel information were still blank screens on Sunday, and the Port’s websites were still down.

Staffers garbed in green vests were positioned throughout terminals during the weekend to help guide people. And the Port propped up a new web page for updates.

Few details have been released about the cyberattack, or what is at stake. Officials have only said that they learned of “unauthorized activity” on the Port’s systems and that federal law enforcement agencies are somehow involved.