Shah Aijaz CNI

Passengers on a Japan Airlines flight had a terrifying experience when their plane suddenly dropped nearly 26,000 feet mid-air due to a cabin pressure issue!

The flight, operated by Spring Airlines Japan (JL8696/IJ004), was flying from Shanghai to Tokyo when things went wrong. Everything was normal at 36,000 feet until an alert for abnormal cabin pressure went off around 6:53 PM (local time).

Oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling, and within minutes, the pilots made an emergency descent, bringing the aircraft down to around 10,500 feet to keep everyone safe.

The Boeing 737-800 didn’t continue to Tokyo it was diverted to Kansai International Airport, where it landed safely around 8:50 PM. Thankfully, all 191 passengers and crew onboard were unharmed, though many were badly shaken by the ordeal.

Spring Airlines Japan, a budget airline under Japan Airlines, issued an apology and confirmed that all emergency steps were taken properly.

Experts say cabin pressure malfunctions are rare, but they can happen. This close call highlights the importance of pilot training and safety systems that work even at 36,000 feet.

The incident also comes at a time when concerns are growing globally about the safety of some Boeing aircraft.