Japan Battles Major Travel Disruptions as Japan Airlines, JAL, AKX, and Air Do Cancel 65 Flights Impacting Routes Across Osaka, Haneda, Kagoshima, Naha, Sapporo, Fukuoka, and More – New Update You Need to Know

Published on December 4, 2025

Japan is facing a wave of flight disruptions this week, with 65 total cancellations affecting multiple airports and leaving travelers scrambling for alternatives. The impacted destinations span both domestic and regional hubs, including Tajima, Oita, Niigata, Kumamoto, Aomori, Matsuyama, Nagasaki, Yakushima, Amami, New Tanegashima, Kikai, Fukuoka, Kansai, Tokyo Haneda, Memanbetsu, Kushiro, Hakodate, Wakkanai, Tsushima, Fukue, Kagoshima, Osaka Itami, Miyazaki, Naha, Seattle, and Xi’an. These cancellations highlight the vulnerability of Japan’s highly scheduled aviation network, particularly for regional routes that operate with limited aircraft and tight turnaround times.

Osaka Itami Airport: Regional Disruptions

Osaka International Airport experienced significant Osaka flight delays as multiple short-haul flights were canceled across consecutive days. The cancellations involved turboprop and regional jet operations, including ATR, Dash 8, and CRJ aircraft.

The suspended flights included:

• JAC2323 AT43 to Tajima (Thu 09:00 AM & Fri 09:00 AM)
• AKX1689 DH8B to Oita (Thu 02:40 PM)
• IBX3173 CRJ7 to Niigata (Thu 02:25 PM)
• AKX1625 DH8B to Kumamoto (Thu 10:40 AM)
• JAL2151 E190 to Aomori (Thu 07:25 AM)
• AKX1633 DH8B to Matsuyama (Thu 07:10 AM)
• AKX1855 DH8B to Aomori (Wed 06:30 PM)
• AKX1647 DH8B to Matsuyama (Wed 06:00 PM)
• JAL2377 E170 to Nagasaki (Wed 05:15 PM)
• JAC2325 AT43 to Tajima (Wed 04:55 PM)
• JAC2451 AT43 to Yakushima (Wed 11:25 AM)

The repeated cancellations of Tajima and Yakushima flights indicate operational strain on regional aircraft fleets. Small aircraft operating on thin schedules make recovery from even minor disruptions difficult.

Kagoshima Airport: Island Connections Halted

Kagoshima Airport, which serves as a key hub for southern island destinations, saw heavy disruption. Japan Air Commuter canceled multiple flights to Amami, New Tanegashima, Kikai, and Yakushima, affecting connectivity for island communities that rely on aviation as their primary link to the mainland.

The canceled flights included:

• JAC3737 AT43 and JAC4375 AT43 to Amami (Thu 05:10 PM)
• JAC3763 AT43 to New Tanegashima (Thu 11:00 AM)
• JAC3783 AT43 and JAC4339 AT43 to Kikai (Thu 07:35 AM)
• JAC4337 AT72 and JAC3759 AT72 to Yakushima (Wed 05:50 PM)
• JAC4333 AT43 and JAC3745 AT43 to Yakushima (Wed 11:15 AM)
• JAC4331 AT72 and JAC3743 AT72 to Yakushima (Wed 10:30 AM)

These cancellations show the vulnerability of small regional routes when aircraft or crew availability becomes constrained. Passengers traveling to and from these islands were forced to seek alternative flights or adjust plans entirely.

Naha Airport: Key Okinawa Routes Affected

Naha Airport reported two cancellations, demonstrating how even a small number of suspensions can disrupt busy island-mainland routes. Japan Transocean Air canceled:

• JTA2062 B738 to Fukuoka (Wed 05:20 PM)
• JTA4 B738 to Kansai (Wed 11:30 AM)

Although fewer than other hubs, these disruptions are significant for passengers connecting between Okinawa and Japan’s major domestic centers.

New Chitose Airport: Northern Japan Faces Delays

Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport had one of the largest clusters of cancellations, mostly concentrated on flights to Tokyo Haneda. Airlines such as Air Do and AKX suspended multiple departures, causing significant Haneda route disruptions. Additional regional flights were also affected.

Canceled flights included:

• ADO28 737 to Tokyo Haneda (Thu 04:05 PM)
• ADO4728 737 to Tokyo Haneda (Thu 04:05 PM)
• ADO16 B763 to Tokyo Haneda (Thu 10:20 AM)
• ADO4716 B763 to Tokyo Haneda (Thu 10:20 AM)
• AKX4861 DH8B to Memanbetsu (Thu 09:30 AM)
• ADO4712 B763 to Tokyo Haneda (Thu 08:00 AM)
• ADO12 B763 to Tokyo Haneda (Thu 08:00 AM)
• AKX4871 DH8B to Kushiro (Thu 07:40 AM)
• ADO36 B763 to Tokyo Haneda (Wed 08:00 PM)
• JAL2809 E170 to Aomori (Wed 07:00 PM)
• ADO4732 B763 to Tokyo Haneda (Wed 06:00 PM)
• ADO32 B763 to Tokyo Haneda (Wed 06:00 PM)
• AKX4857 DH8B to Hakodate (Wed 05:55 PM)
• ADO26 B763 to Tokyo Haneda (Wed 03:00 PM)
• ADO4724 B763 to Tokyo Haneda (Wed 01:30 PM)
• ADO24 B763 to Tokyo Haneda (Wed 01:30 PM)
• ADO16 B763 to Tokyo Haneda (Wed 10:20 AM)
• AKX4841 DH8B to Wakkanai (Wed 10:15 AM)

This cluster highlights how a high-frequency route like Haneda–New Chitose is particularly sensitive to operational strain, where a delay in one segment cascades into multiple cancellations.

Fukuoka Airport: Multiple Regional Routes Suspended

Fukuoka Airport faced cancellations affecting both regional and island-bound flights, further complicating the domestic aviation network. Suspended flights included:

• AKX4937 DH8B to Tsushima (Thu 04:20 PM)
• ORC4699 ATR to Fukue (Thu 03:40 PM & Wed 03:40 PM)
• JAC3653 AT43 to Kagoshima (Thu 02:20 PM)
• IBX3170 CRJ7 to Osaka Itami (Thu 12:50 PM)
• JTA2063 B738 to Naha (Wed 07:45 PM)
• AKX4955 DH8B to Miyazaki (Wed 03:10 PM)
• JAC4377 AT43 and JAC3673 AT43 to Yakushima (Wed 12:55 PM)
• ORC4695 ATR to Fukue (Wed 12:10 PM)

The multiple carriers and overlapping cancellations indicate complex scheduling challenges across Kyushu.

Kansai International Airport: One Critical Suspension

Kansai International Airport recorded a single but significant cancellation:

• JTA5 B738 to Naha (Wed 02:10 PM)

Even a single cancellation on this heavily traveled leisure route can create chain delays for connecting passengers.

Narita Airport: International Routes Affected

Narita International Airport saw two cancellations impacting international and regional Asia travel:

• HAL824 A332 to Seattle-Tacoma (Thu 06:30 PM)
• CHH7928 B738 to Xi’an (Wed 02:25 PM)

These disruptions illustrate that even long-haul flights are vulnerable to operational pressure elsewhere in the network.

Overview of Reported Cancellations

Below is a breakdown of all the affected airports and their cancellation counts:

Impact on Passengers and the Aviation Network

The ongoing Japan flight cancellations have affected passengers nationwide. Travelers faced longer waits, limited alternative flights, and significant rebooking challenges. Regional routes and island connections were hardest hit, while northern and southern hubs experienced cascading delays. Airlines have had to adjust operations across multiple airports simultaneously, demonstrating how tightly scheduled Japan’s aviation system is and how sensitive it is to disruptions.

Passengers are advised to:

• Monitor flight status closely
• Arrive early at airports to allow for schedule changes
• Explore alternative airports when possible
• Stay flexible with travel plans

While Japan is known for punctual aviation, this week’s widespread disruptions show that even the most efficient networks can experience pressure, particularly when regional, high-frequency, and island-bound routes are all impacted simultaneously.