Japan Airlines Co. said Thursday it has canceled a special campaign that offered domestic one-way tickets for 6,600 yen ($48) each after its website suffered a glitch caused by a surge in people trying to access the promotion.

The malfunction, which caused a slow internet connection for those trying to access the website, also made it difficult for customers to purchase or reserve normal tickets. The airline announced it was unlikely to hold a similar sale for the foreseeable future.

"We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused," JAL said in a comment.

The website began experiencing problems at around 11:50 p.m. on Wednesday, just before the tickets were due to go on sale, with poor connectivity continuing for about 19 hours before the airline announced it was restored at around 6:35 p.m. Thursday.

During the period, customers were still able to buy regular tickets for domestic and international flights scheduled until April 11, as the website for them was operating on a separate system.

Those who managed to purchase tickets during the Thursday sale will still be able to use them, JAL said, adding it will cancel a similar promotion scheduled for Sunday.

The 6,600 yen sale was part of its "JAL Smile Campaign." The company said it will continue with other sales.


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