Japan Airlines (JAL) has recovered from a cyberattack that temporarily disrupted its operations and caused flight delays during Japan's busy New Year holiday travel season.
The incident began on December 26 at 7:24 AM local time when JAL detected unusual activity in its network connecting internal and external systems. The airline temporarily suspended ticket sales for both domestic and international flights while addressing the situation.
Over 24 domestic flights experienced delays exceeding 30 minutes each. Television footage showed crowds of stranded travelers at Tokyo's Haneda airport as the disruption unfolded.
Initial investigations suggest the incident resembled a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, where networks are overwhelmed by concentrated data traffic from multiple sources. However, JAL confirmed that no malware was deployed and no customer data was compromised during the incident.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi instructed the transport ministry to accelerate system restoration and assist affected passengers. Other major Japanese carriers, including All Nippon Airways (ANA), Skymark, and Starflyer, remained unaffected by the attack.
By December 27, JAL announced that its systems had been fully restored and flights were operating on normal schedules. The airline apologized for inconveniences caused to passengers.
The incident occurred during Japan's peak New Year travel period, highlighting the vulnerability of critical infrastructure during busy holiday seasons when companies often operate with reduced staff.
While investigations continue, no group has claimed responsibility for the cyberattack. The motive behind the incident remains unclear as authorities work to prevent similar disruptions in the future.