Japan Airlines pilots have failed breathalyzer alcohol tests on 19 occasions since August 2017, causing 12 domestic flight delays due to pilot switches, JAL officials have revealed to the Mainichi Shimbun. The major airline introduced a new type of detector for in-house checks that month. The revelation comes on the heels of the arrest of a JAL co-pilot in London by British police in October this year for allegedly arriving for duty on a flight to Haneda Airport in Tokyo with alcohol levels… (www.airlive.net) さらに...
How can people who have a job that requires your full time attention show up for work after drinking?
I find it offensive that a person who has the lives of people depending on their competent operation of a complex machine thinks alcohol consumption is OK.
I know.. This is also not very good advertising for Japan Airlines. After people see that some planes are being operated by drunk pilots... i definitely wouldn't want to travel on their airlines.
Kinda worries me on face value that 12 or 19 caused a direct delay but I'm sure the other 7 were guys either in the sim or where they had a recrew option. Either way guys don't show up to work drunk.
So what is JAL's policy when one of their pilots is caught failing a "company administered" prefight breathalyzer? . . . Do they fire them, or simply give them the day off?
From a passenger's point of view, I would argue " one strike and you're out ". Just imagine the legal action which would arise following an accident in which the pilot (s) were found to be under the influence. Would that void the airlines insurance coverage ? I find it hard to believe that any real professional would endanger his/her passengers just because they are too impressed by their own " importance " to think that normal rules of behaviour don't apply to them. As I said, once caught you are out.