Once again, Japan Airlines (JAL) finds itself in hot water—and yes, you guessed it—a booze scandal. The airline is apologizing yet again after a new alcohol scandal involving one of its pilots. Earlier this year, JAL had taken measures to ensure this problem didn’t continue, but it seems impossible to shake it.
The Honolulu Mess
Here’s the story: a JAL pilot was set to fly from Honolulu to Chubu Centrair International Airport in Japan on August 28, 2025. Instead of showing up for work, he called in sick. Of course, the first flight delayed. Around 630 passengers were stranded.
A History That Seems to Repeat Itself
One captain ended up in trouble in the United States after drunken hotel behavior. Two more straight-up failed a pre-flight alcohol screening before a Melbourne-to-Japan flight, which ended up delaying every passenger on board. Earlier in this year, prior to the latter incidents, JAL submitted a plan to the Ministry of Transport that said they would crack down on employees who have drinking problems. Clearly, their plan has cable ties.
Government Intervention
The Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism will not let this one go without some response. They showed up at JAL’s Tokyo headquarters on September 3 to observe that once again, FUN, FREE, the civil aviation authority had shown up. Essentially, the government wants to know why pilots are still intoxicated and/or hungover after all the new policy updates.
The Apology Tour (Again)
Japan Airlines has once again formally apologized and acknowledged the continued struggle with alcohol issues with its employees. A spokesman mentioned the costly airline is “fully committed” to enforcing the alcohol policies and monitoring their employees with alcohol problems. The problem is that the passengers are getting more and more frustrated, and the government is balancing on the edge.
What This Means Going Forward
In short, if Japan Airlines doesn’t get its house in order, the problems could go far beyond “just a delay.” For now, the airline is focused on restoring trust. The consequence is that hundreds of passengers will have a story to tell that they probably didn’t want: being delayed and stranded because their captain couldn’t say no to a drink.
