Japan Airlines Tightens Alcohol Safety Rules, 6 Drunk Pilots Suspended

TOKYO— Japan Airlines (JL) announced new safety measures after a pilot’s drinking incident forced delays on an international service from Honolulu (HNL) to Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO). The airline will suspend pilots considered high risk if medical checks reveal liver function deterioration.

The carrier submitted a report to Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT) following the August incident, where a pilot consumed alcohol before duty and was unable to operate his scheduled flight.

JAL admitted its previous countermeasures had been ineffective, leading to stricter oversight and regulatory intervention.

Photo: ERIC SALARD | Flickr

Japan Airlines Tightens Alcohol Rules

Japan Airlines has faced repeated issues with pilot drinking violations, undermining both punctuality and passenger confidence. In the August case, a pilot drank three pints of beer the day before his duty flight from Honolulu (HNL) to Chubu (NGO).

On the day of departure, his alcohol testing kit recorded positive results 60 times. He later admitted feeling unwell, causing a two-hour delay to his assigned flight and further delays of more than 18 hours for two services to Tokyo Haneda (HND).

JAL confirmed that six pilots have already been suspended due to similar issues. The airline’s management initially considered requiring written pledges from pilots to avoid alcohol-related misconduct, but internal opposition halted the plan. Instead, JAL will now establish a consultative framework with pilot unions to create more effective and enforceable rules.

Ministry Oversight and Reprimand

Following the Honolulu incident, MLIT reprimanded JAL and ordered the airline to submit corrective measures. This was not the first warning.

Past cases showed pilots attempting to conceal excessive preflight drinking, raising concerns about compliance and monitoring within the airline.

JAL admitted it had unilaterally imposed stricter alcohol-related rules in the past without properly consulting its workforce, contributing to pushback and ineffective enforcement. The new strategy emphasizes collaboration with labor representatives to achieve practical and sustainable policies.

Photo: DNA India, COVID -19: Breath analyzer tests set to resume for pilots, crew as situation improves

Longstanding Concerns About Alcohol and Pilot Health

The pilot involved in the August case had been flagged by JAL seven years earlier for high alcohol consumption and was placed under close monitoring. He pledged to quit drinking but eventually relapsed, leading to the recent incident.

JAL is now incorporating medical checks, including liver function analysis, into its pilot monitoring process.

Pilots with deteriorating results will be suspended from flight duty, reflecting a proactive health-based approach rather than relying solely on pledges or disciplinary warnings.

Photo: By Kentaro Iemoto from Tokyo, Japan – JAL B777-300ER(JA731J), CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23458469

Pilot Culture and Workload Pressures

Some pilots argue that moderate alcohol consumption within official limits helps them relax after long-haul flights. Others see drinking as a coping mechanism in response to heavy workloads and global pilot shortages.

This cultural factor has complicated airline efforts to impose blanket bans, as many pilots view occasional drinking as part of normal post-flight recovery.

However, with increasing global scrutiny on airline safety, JAL’s latest measures reflect a recognition that both individual health and public trust depend on stricter enforcement.

Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.

Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News

The post Japan Airlines Tightens Alcohol Safety Rules, 6 Drunk Pilots Suspended appeared first on Aviation A2Z.