Japan Airlines (JAL) experienced a cyberattack on Thursday that caused delays to both domestic and international flights. The disruptions primarily affected 24 domestic flights, which were delayed for over 30 minutes, and baggage check-in systems at several airports. However, the airline quickly identified and resolved the issue, assuring passengers that the situation was under control.
The attack, believed to be a DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) assault, began at 7:24 a.m. and was linked to a router malfunction. JAL isolated the faulty router by 8:56 a.m., minimizing further disruptions. In the meantime, sales for all flights scheduled for the day were temporarily suspended.
This cyberattack is just the latest in a series of breaches targeting Japanese companies, following attacks on Japan’s space agency, major ports, and even Toyota’s suppliers. Although no significant safety threats arose from the attack, JAL’s stock took a hit, dropping as much as 2.5% before recovering slightly.
In a separate matter, a recent transport ministry report on a tragic January 2024 collision involving a JAL passenger jet at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport blamed human error for the fatal crash. The report revealed that a coast guard plane, which collided with the JAL aircraft, had mistakenly entered the runway. The pilot of the smaller plane, in a rush due to a delayed schedule, misinterpreted air traffic control instructions. The traffic controller, unaware of the breach, failed to notice the danger, even ignoring an alarm. Miraculously, all 379 passengers aboard the JAL plane escaped just before the aircraft was engulfed in flames.
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