Japan Airlines (JAL) has announced that it will penalise senior executives following an incident last year in which two pilots consumed excessive alcohol in violation of internal regulations just a day before taking responsibility for a flight. According to the company’s statement, JAL President Mitsuko Tottori and Chairman of the Board Yuji Akasaka will face a 30% salary reduction. Additionally, three other executives will also be disciplined.
Alcohol Scandal and Management Failures
The incident occurred ahead of a scheduled flight from Melbourne to Tokyo on 1 December. The two pilots consumed alcohol the day before the flight and later tested positive in an alcohol test on the morning of 1 December. To account for the possibility of an inaccurate test result, the airline decided to proceed with the flight after a three-hour delay. However, the pilots later admitted on 3 December that they had indeed been drinking that day.
Management Failures and Associated Penalties
In the aftermath of the incident, during a board meeting, it was decided that there was no need to report the situation to the ministry. However, as senior executives were deemed responsible for the matter, penalties were imposed. It was announced that Tottori and Akasaka’s salaries would be reduced by 30%, and Akasaka would be relieved of his role as a safety supervisor.
Commenting on the incident, JAL President Tottori acknowledged that the executives had made poor decisions on a highly critical matter and expressed deep regret on behalf of the company. Additionally, the airline plans to tighten monitoring of crew alcohol testing to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Preventative Measures and Ministerial Intervention
JAL has submitted a set of preventive measures to the transport ministry to ensure such an incident does not recur. These measures include monitoring crew members who consume excessive alcohol and establishing a watchlist. Following its determination that the incident constituted a serious violation, the ministry issued improvement recommendations to JAL and requested that preventive actions be implemented by Friday.
This incident has exposed significant shortcomings in JAL’s internal safety procedures, prompting the company to reassess its security standards within the industry.
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