Japanese airlines hit by massive cyber attack, flights affected: Everything you need to know

Japan Airlines (JAL) faced a cyber attack on Thursday morning that disrupted its internal and external systems.
The attack, which began at 7:24 am local time (2224 GMT), was confirmed by JAL.
“Since 7:24am today we have been subject to a cyber attack on our internal and external network devices, causing problems with systems communicating with external systems. We expect this to affect both domestic and international flights.” JAL said in a post on X.
Although the airline acknowledged the breach, an airline spokesman told AFP there were no immediate updates on potential delays or cancellations.
JAL, the nation’s second largest airline after All Nippon Airways (ANA), is the latest in a series of Japanese companies targeted by cyber attacks.
In 2022, a cyber attack disrupted the operations of a Toyota supplier, forcing the world’s largest automaker to suspend production at its domestic factories for an entire day.
More recently, in June, popular Japanese video sharing platform Niconico was forced to suspend its services due to a large-scale cyber attack, as reported by its operator.
This incident follows a similar disruption earlier this year at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), which experienced significant delays attributed to a “possible cyber attack.” The attack reportedly caused an “internet and web systems outage” at the Port of Seattle, resulting in operational disruptions.