JAL cabin crew drinking found on Hiroshima-Haneda flight, causing 40-minute delay

2026-05-27

Discovered just before duty

Japan Airlines (JAL) said on the 27th that a flight was delayed after excessive drinking by a cabin attendant (CA) was found just before departure, and it took time to arrange a replacement crew member.

Hiroshima departure on the morning of the 23rd

The problem involved a flight that departed Hiroshima Airport on the morning of the 23rd and arrived at Haneda Airport. A female CA in her 50s serving as the chief purser, the on-site supervisor, had been drinking in the hotel lounge where she was staying with a female CA in her 30s who had been scheduled to work on the flight the previous night. Alcohol was detected in the female CA in her 50s during an early-morning pre-duty check.

Violation of operating rules confirmed

The female CA in her 30s had been taken off duty before the check for health reasons. The flight was about 40 minutes behind schedule for both departure and arrival. It was later found that the rule under the Aviation Act-based operating regulations, which prohibits drinking from 12 hours before the time crew members are required to report to the designated location for duty, had not been followed.

JAL faces a string of drinking incidents

At JAL in August 2025 as well, it emerged that an international flight captain had been drinking at his lodging in violation of company rules, causing delays to multiple flights. Drinking-related misconduct involving flight crew members has continued.

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