Tokyo, Dec 26: Japan Airlines (JAL) reported on Thursday that it was the target of a cyberattack, leading to widespread disruptions across its network. The attack caused delays of up to an hour for at least 14 domestic flights, with international flights also affected, Kyodo News reported.
The cyberattack prompted JAL to suspend ticket sales for all domestic and international flights for the rest of the day, though passengers with existing bookings were assured their tickets remained valid.
“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,” JAL said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
JAL said it had identified and addressed the issue, temporarily shutting down a compromised router in its efforts to counteract the attack and mitigate further damage. The airline is currently working to determine the source of the breach.
The Metropolitan Police Department has been notified and is investigating the incident, according to sources cited by Kyodo News.
“We identified and addressed the cause of the issue. We are checking the system recovery status. Sales for both domestic and international flights have been suspended. We apologize for any inconvenience caused,” the airline wrote in another post.
JAL warned that the cyberattack may have a broader impact on its flight operations as recovery efforts continue.
This incident highlights the growing risks of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure in the aviation industry, which can cause significant disruption to global travel networks.
