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Seattle-based Alaska Airlines is recovering Tuesday after an IT issue grounded flights at its hub airport and stopped passengers from making online bookings.

The airline’s chief executive, Ben Minicucci, said in an interview that closing its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines would allow it to expand, including on international routes.

The Department of Transportation approved the merger between Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, provided that the carriers maintain certain conditions.

The airlines agreed to maintain some routes and meet other conditions to secure the Transportation Department’s approval of their merger.

An Alaska Airlines flight operated on a Boeing aircraft had to return to the airport it took off from on Sunday for an engine issue, local reports state.