Take our user survey and make your voice heard.
A high level of alcohol was detected in the system of a Japan Airlines pilot after he took a mandatory pre-flight breathalyzer test.
According to JAL, the male captain, 58, was scheduled to fly from Narita airport to Nagoya on Thursday night, Fuji TV reported. However, a pre-flight test showed his blood alcohol level to be above the limit set by the airline for flight crew. The flight was delayed after the captain was taken off the plane and replaced at the last minute.
JAL said the captain was drinking at a restaurant where he reportedly consumed five "lemon sours" (lemon-flavored cocktails) and half a bottle of red wine.
The airline said it will dismiss the captain. In a statement, JAL said: "Given the fact that alcohol-related incidents continue to occur, we intend to take a strict attitude toward such behavior.”
© Japan Today
14 Comments
Login to comment
Yubaru
Oh well, dude had to have know what was going to happen, but thought that his age and seniority would save him!
Glad to see JAL being proactive here!
drlucifer
Are the test mandatory before or are randomly carried out. My guess the former, thus the reason for the exceptionally high alcohol intake by the pilot. If he thought he would be checked I don't think he would have drank that much except he believed he was superhuman.
nakanoguy01
That's not being "pro-active." Every airline in the world tests all pilots before a flight. It's only recently that Japanese airlines have mandated this. And instead of just firing the guy, Japan needs to make it a crime and jail these idiots who even attempt to get behind the wheel of an airplane. That would be pro-active.
oyatoi
“With the hike looming, many beer brewers are raising production levels to meet a predicted spike in demand before the tax comes into effect.”
With the impending tax hike, he’s getting in early. With a month to go, stay safe people.
Yubaru
That's not being "pro-active." Every airline in the world tests all pilots before a flight. It's only recently that Japanese airlines have mandated this. And instead of just firing the guy, Japan needs to make it a crime and jail these idiots who even attempt to get behind the wheel of an airplane. That would be pro-active.
By firing him right off IS being proactive! The crime would have been to let him fly, checking before take off is also being proactive as well.
If sitting behind the wheel is cause for being charged as a crime, meaning intent, the courts are going to be over flowing with cases of people who had intent but never committed a crime!
jj1067
Oh not again.
hooktrunk2
5 lemon sours! One is enough to do me under, or make it so I shouldn't even think about driving. Egads what a dumb way to end a career.
Random
If he was in the US he could have saved his job by admitting he has a problem and got himself into a treatment program. I've been in the business for 25 years and have never been tested before a flight.
@Reckless, I've never known anyone who wanted to get fired from a $250k job. Guys I know that are sick of flying usually just bid a reserve schedule.
philly1
Excellent! Airlines need to show their passengers that they take their safety seriously. Firing him is the only appropriate action to take. Five whisky sours and wine? Unbelievable.
Bruce Wayne
We don't know how many hours had passed since he consumed alcohol, but give the captain the benefit of the doubt.
He should have also confirmed with his own private breathalizer before setting off for this duty to make sure he was in the safe zone, but didn't and is now going to suffer the consequences.
dbsaiya
Name and shame! He'll probably drink and drive after this.
Norman Goodman
This is not an "incident". He drank sometime prior to flying. He submitted for the expected test. He did not make the limit. Nothing happened. How was he supposed to know his BAC before the test? He should not be fired.
garypen
This is most definitely an "incident". He drank FIVE cocktails and a half bottle of wine "sometime" prior to flying. He did more than "not make the limit". "A high level of alcohol was detected" in his system, according to the first sentence in the article. Of course, he wouldn't know his specific BAC number. But, after drinking FIVE cocktails and a half bottle of wine, he should have suspected it would be higher than the limit.
Of course he should be fired. And, not only should he be fired, he should suffer legal ramifications, as well, like that JAL pilot in the UK who is deservedly in prison right now.