Japan Airlines (JAL) has been formally warned by Japan’s transport ministry after a pilot’s excessive drinking rendered him unfit to fly, leading to delays on three flights.
The incident occurred on August 28 in Hawaii, where the pilot consumed alcohol heavily the previous night and failed the airline’s pre-flight checks the next day. One of the affected flights was delayed by as much as 18 hours.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism summoned JAL’s Chief Safety Officer, Yukio Nakagawa, to deliver a second written reprimand to the airline within a year.
JAL President Mitsuko Tottori later addressed a press conference, offering an apology and promising tougher enforcement of alcohol and health checks for flight crew.
