Japan Airlines (JAL) is under fire once again from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism after a captain was found to have consumed alcohol before a flight from Hawaii, causing significant delays.

A Repeat Offense

The incident occurred on August 28th, when the captain drank alcohol at his hotel is clear violation of pre-flight rules before piloting a departing flight. The breach disrupted the schedule, delaying three flights by up to 18 hours. This is not an isolated case for JAL; a series of similar alcohol-related incidents involving pilots caused cancellations and delays throughout last year.

Government Scrutiny Intensifies

Despite receiving a business improvement order from the ministry in December 2023, JAL has failed to prevent a recurrence. In response, the ministry announced it would issue a strict "severe warning" to the airline. JAL has scheduled a press conference to explain its renewed measures for preventing future violations.

This latest episode raises serious questions about the effectiveness of JAL's internal controls and the industry's ongoing struggle to enforce strict sobriety rules for flight crews.