On the morning of June 26th, Hawaiian Airlines reported a major cybersecurity incident that disrupted its IT systems. Travel alerts were posted by 10:45 a.m. local time, confirming issues that impacted digital check-in, employee portals, and internal communications. The airline's Honolulu-based operations hub was at the center of the disturbance. While the cause wasn't initially disclosed, experts quickly suspected ransomware—a form of attack where hackers encrypt data and demand payment.
Despite widespread internal disruption, all Hawaiian Airlines flights remained on schedule. The FAA confirmed there was no threat to flight safety. But behind the scenes, customers reported being unable to check in online or access their mobile boarding passes. Some passengers shared frustration online and at the gates, as staff scrambled to manage delays and rebookings manually.
Though the airline hasn’t confirmed the breach was ransomware, cybersecurity analysts say the pattern fits: sudden shutdowns of IT systems, ongoing recovery operations, and radio silence on data exposure. Investigators were immediately called in. In fact, this comes just weeks after other ransomware incidents hit major travel hubs like Sea-Tac and Canada’s WestJet—making the airline industry an increasingly frequent target.
Hawaiian’s website and mobile app were partially restored by evening, and the company emphasized that protecting customer and employee data is its top priority. However, confusion grew when a company rep responded to press inquiries using a personal Gmail account—suggesting their internal email systems may have been affected. There’s still no word on whether any data was stolen or held hostage.
While Hawaiian Airlines works to fully recover and investigate, this incident is a sharp reminder that the aviation industry is a high-value cyber target. Just days earlier, Hawaiian completed major system upgrades—highlighting how transition periods can be exploited. For passengers, the takeaway is simple: always have backup boarding passes, monitor your account for irregularities, and stay alert when companies communicate through unusual channels.
SOURCE: https://www.reuters.com/business/hawaiian-airlines-hit-by-cyber-attack-2025-06-26/