From 1951 to 1959, the FBI and Air Force ran Operation Washtub, a covert program that trained bush pilots, trappers, hunters and miners to operate as covert agents if Soviet paratroopers ever landed in Anchorage or Fairbanks.

With millions of annual passengers, disruption on this scale has significant ripple effects across national air travel.

All Alaska Airlines flights were grounded Thursday afternoon due to an IT outage, the company said. Around 6:21 p.m. Thursday, the airline posted to social media advising customers of the issue and suggesting anyone flying that night check their flight status before heading to the airport.

A cargo carrier specializing in moving freight across the remote Alaska Bush is the latest customer for Vermont-based Beta Technologies, which is developing both vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) electric aircraft.

Alaska Airlines said that it resumed its operations Friday after thousands of Americans found themselves stuck on the ground due to an IT outage that prevented any of its planes from taking off.

The airline said in a statement that it had experienced "an IT outage affecting operations" and issued a temporary ground stop, which has now been lifted.

Alaska Airlines has resumed operations after an information technology problem forced hundreds of its flights to be grounded Thursday night.

Alaska Airlines resumed operations after issuing a nationwide ground stop for eight hours following a "significant IT outage," the airline said.