Japan Airlines, which has been grappling with a series of pilot alcohol-related incidents, has been found to have hired captains with prior records of alcohol offenses at its low-cost carrier (LCC) subsidiary.
Controversy as JAL LCC Subsidiary Hires Three Pilots with Alcohol Offenses
On September 8, Toyo Keizai Online reported that the recurring issue of pilot alcohol abuse at Japan Airlines (JAL) has now extended to its affiliate, Spring Japan, with controversy surrounding the hiring and promotion of pilots with such records. According to the report, Spring Japan, an LCC under JAL, received a "strict warning" from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in May this year due to pilot alcohol issues. JAL currently holds a 66.7% stake in Spring Japan, and the company is headed by a former JAL executive. The outlet reported that Spring Japan's pilot recruitment and personnel processes have raised concerns, as they appear to tolerate individuals with a history of alcohol offenses.
According to Toyo Keizai's investigation, Spring Japan hired three pilots who had effectively been dismissed from other domestic airlines due to alcohol-related incidents. All three had been removed from domestic flight operations between 2018 and 2019 for alcohol offenses. However, between 2019 and 2021, they transferred to Spring Japan and were hired not as first officers, but as captains. Of these, one has since left the company and reportedly joined a foreign airline. The two remaining pilots at Spring Japan currently hold positions as check pilots or instructors. These roles are responsible for evaluating or training other pilots and are considered key posts that require high levels of skill and authority. Multiple sources confirmed to the outlet that individuals with prior alcohol offenses remain in these critical positions.
When Asked About the Hiring, LCC Responds: "No Problem"
Toyo Keizai questioned Spring Japan about the reasons for appointing pilots with past alcohol offenses as check pilots or instructors. Spring Japan responded, "We appoint check pilots and instructors based on a comprehensive assessment of flight hours, knowledge, and abilities, and conduct regular evaluations," adding, "Currently, there is no one among our check pilots or instructors for whom we suspect any issues with aptitude, including alcohol." Toyo Keizai pointed out that this answer could be interpreted as "there are currently no check pilots or instructors with a history of alcohol offenses." However, when pressed for clarification, Spring Japan stated, "From the perspective of the Personal Information Protection Act, we refrain from answering questions about individuals," thereby avoiding any specific comment.
Current employees have voiced their dissatisfaction. One employee told Toyo Keizai, "Appointing pilots with alcohol offenses as check pilots or instructors is a sign of moral hazard. No matter how much the company emphasizes alcohol prevention and compliance, it just rings hollow. However, this issue cannot be seen as unique to Spring Japan, since personnel decisions are made by executives dispatched from JAL."
Toyo Keizai noted, "From the passengers' perspective, knowing that someone with a history of alcohol offenses holds the highest pilot positions could cause anxiety," and questioned, "If concerns are raised about the qualifications of these pilots, how would Spring Japan's pilots respond?"
Frequent Captain Alcohol Incidents... Internal Criticism of 'Moral Hazard'
Previously, on August 28 (local time), JAL Captain A was scheduled to board a flight from Honolulu, Hawaii to Chubu (Nagoya). However, on the evening of the 27th, he consumed three bottles (about 550ml each) of beer with an alcohol content of 9.5% in his hotel room. The next morning, on the 28th, a self-administered breathalyzer test in his hotel room detected 0.45mg of alcohol per liter of breath. It was reported that he informed the company of his alcohol consumption just before departure. As a result, a total of three flights, including the one he was scheduled to board, were delayed for up to 18 hours, causing major disruptions and affecting approximately 630 passengers.
JAL's investigation found that Captain A had undergone about 60 alcohol tests, but had falsified the dates on some of the records. He reportedly admitted, "I drank alcohol about 10 times during my stays so far." In December last year, Japan Airlines also had an incident where a captain and first officer drank the night before a flight and, despite being caught in a breathalyzer test, repeatedly requested retests, claiming "there could be an error." As a result, the flight departed Narita 3 hours and 11 minutes late, and it was only three days later that the two admitted to having exceeded the alcohol limit. Ultimately, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism issued administrative guidance to the airline.
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