Check-in glitch grounds JAL flights
Problems arising from JAL's check-in system prevented passengers from going through departure gates at the airport, a company spokesperson said.
The trouble, which came after the airline introduced a new software for electronic tickets, affected at least 9,242 passengers by noon on Wednesday.
According to AFP, dozens more flights were expected to be delayed.
"The system is mostly back to normal but still a total of 33 flights were delayed," said the JAL spokesperson.
Passengers affected were booked on later flights or on flights with other airlines, while further disruptions are expected on the return flights, Japan Times reported.
Additionally, JAL is expected to receive a government-arranged loan this month to help the company survive the slump in flight demand, after previously denying it was seeking public funding.
According to the Nikkei economic daily and public broadcaster NHK, the Development Bank of Japan is arranging a loan of approximately 100 billion yen (US$1 billion) in cooperation with the three largest banks in Japan.
The Development Bank of Japan is expected to put up tens of billions of yen, with Mizuho Corporate Bank contributing the second largest amount, while Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp are also likely to provide several billion yen each, the Nikkei reported.
Japan Airlines (JAL) are expected to use the money for short-term business operations, but may be forced to reduce its current workforce and drop unprofitable routes to get the loan, NHK said.
According to the AFP, the global economic downturn has dealt a heavy blow to JAL's efforts to recover from a prolonged period of financial turbulence, stretching back to its privatisation more than two decades ago.
This year, the airline predicts chalking a possible net loss of US$657 million, after reporting a net loss of US$659 million last year.