Guo Jiayi|2025-07-01
Spring Japan cancels flights after emergency landing incident

The low-cost airline Spring Japan has cancelled several flights scheduled for July 1 and 2 following an emergency landing involving one of its aircraft on June 30.

According to a notice on the airline's website, flights JL8695 (IJ003) from Tokyo Narita to Shanghai Pudong and JL8696 (IJ004) from Shanghai to Tokyo on July 1 and 2 were canceled due to "operational adjustments."

Affected passengers can rebook within 30 days or receive a full refund.

Japan Airlines, the majority stakeholder in Spring Japan, issued an apology following the incident.

"The aircraft made an emergency landing at Kansai International Airport after the pilots detected a possible cabin decompression issue," the airline said in a statement.

"There have been no reports so far of any passengers or crew experiencing physical discomfort. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding and cooperation."

The move follows an incident on June 30, when a Japan Airlines JL8696 flight, operated by Spring Japan under a codeshare agreement, was forced to make an emergency landing at Kansai International Airport.

The aircraft, a Boeing 737-800, triggered a cabin pressurization alert shortly after takeoff from Shanghai, prompting oxygen masks to deploy and a rapid descent.

No injuries were reported among the 191 passengers and crew.

Flight data from "VariFlight" shows the plane departed Shanghai at 5:49pm and landed in Kansai at 8:50pm.

Passengers later shared official cancellation notices and compensation details online, confirming the flight was canceled after the emergency landing due to a "mechanical fault," according to local media outlet Jiupai News.

The airline arranged hotel accommodation for stranded travelers and offered transport subsidies of up to 15,000 yen (US$105) per person for travel from Osaka to Narita, reimbursable with receipts.

Shanghai-based Spring Airlines, which holds a 33 percent stake in Spring Airlines Japan, clarified that its own flights, which use the code prefix 9C, were unaffected and operating as usual, according to The Paper.

Pudong
Shanghai