Cyberattack hits Japan Airlines; flights delayed, ticket sales suspended

TOKYO: Japan Airlines (JAL) announced on Thursday that its network had been targeted by a cyberattack, leading to delays of up to an hour for at least 14 domestic flights and disruptions to some international flights as well, Kyodo News reported.

The airline reported that the issues began at approximately 7:25 am, prompting it to suspend ticket sales for all domestic and international flights for the remainder of the day. Passengers who had already purchased tickets were advised that their bookings remained valid.

JAL said it was working to counteract the cyberattack and determine its source, adding the attack may have a larger effect on its flights. The airline succeeded in temporarily shutting down the router believed to have been compromised. The Metropolitan Police Department was contacted by JAL and is looking into the matter, investigative sources said, according to Kyodo News.

Earlier in the day, sharing a post on X, the Japan Airlines wrote, "We identified and addressed the cause of the issue. We are checking the system recovery status. Sales for both domestic and international flights departing today have been suspended. We apologize for any inconvenience caused."

In another post, it wrote, "We regret to inform you that our network systems are down. The cause is under investigation. This may potentially affect the operations of both domestic and international flights. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience."