JAL Face‑Off: A Co‑Pilot Gets Arrested for Grabbing a Booze Hangover
Tokyo Airlines had to bail on a Tokyo flight after an unintended party crash‑in at Heathrow. The co‑pilot, who was caught with his tongue in the wine‑glasses (or whiskey, whatever you fancy), got the boot in London—and it sent the whole plan into chilling 1 hour & 9 minutes of delay.
What Went Down
- After a rough “beer‑test” (the in‑house breath thing) that the JAL crew thought was “super clean,” the pilot was still crooking up the suspicion as a driver handed him over
- They ran the second and decisive breath‑test just before take‑off – the result: “Excessive alcohol, formalized!” The British police seized him, ran a blood exam and it all matched up.
- The pilot was all caught up, gave the green light to the passenger list and the flight finally blasted off after the little delay.
JAL’s Smooth‑Sailing Apology
“We’re sure the in‑house breath test wasn’t conducted properly,” said Muneaki Kitahara, JAL’s head of communication. He worked out his way into a press conference, shaking it out in solemn tones and declaring, “We sincerely apologise to the passengers and everyone impacted by this regrettable employee’s actions.”
Why the Jet‑Lag of a Latte… Wasn’t Just a Flight “Hopp”
Rumor has it the congestion of “the 40‑plus‑year‑old male pilot” from All Nippon Airways giving us a close look at the “hung‑over flight hubble.” Once he called in sick after a night of drinking in southern Okinawa, 5 flights to and from a remote island (totaling 619 affected passengers) were delayed.
Lessons From the Juice
The transport ministry got a ping back and reminded the airlines to keep a zero‑drink discipline, at least until the pilot’s next celebration hits the air; the final rule says: no drinking before you work, no matter how tired you feel.
So, for all of us who enjoy that after‑party “carry‑on” swirling, the lesson stands: Stay SOP‑aligned. No booze before you launch.
