Japan Airlines' network suffered a cyberattack Thursday, disrupting
luggage services and delaying flights at the start of the New Year holiday season, before being restored later in the day.
The airline said customers could once again purchase tickets for both domestic and international flights after a temporary halt, adding that no personal information was leaked and no damage was caused by computer viruses.
JAL said the issues began around 7:25 a.m., delaying more than 70 domestic and international flights by up to four hours and leading to the cancellation of four domestic flights. While ticket sales were temporarily halted, reservations that had previously been made remained valid.
An
electronic sign at Tokyo's Haneda airport informs passengers of a
problem with Japan Airlines' network on Dec. 26, 2024. (Kyodo)
Investigative sources said the airline told police that it may have been the victim of a distributed denial-of-service, or DDoS attack, in which networks are overwhelmed by data from multiple sources over a short period.
JAL said it determined the cause and that the system was restored at around 1:20 p.m.
Earlier in the day, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, the top government spokesman, said at a press conference, "Through the transport ministry, we have requested JAL to repair its system as soon as possible to respond appropriately to affected customers."
All Nippon Airways, Skymark Airlines, Solaseed Air and Star Flyer did not experience any cyberattacks and operated as usual.
Meanwhile, Japan Post Co. said mail and parcel deliveries were affected by JAL's flight disruptions.
Passengers at Tokyo's Haneda airport could be seen questioning staff and anxiously checking their phones, but there was little noticeable confusion at Narita airport in Chiba Prefecture near the capital.
"I was able to check in fine. I've been looking forward to this year-end trip, but it's worrying that there's trouble," said a man in his 30s who was flying from Haneda to Ishigaki Island in the southern prefecture of Okinawa.
A man in his 60s who was traveling to his home in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture in western Japan, said, "It's a nuisance during the busy year-end period."
Reference: Kyodo News
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