Key facts
- Two Japan Airlines cabin attendants drank alcohol before a flight in May.
- The employees lied about alcohol consumption in an internal investigation.
- The chief cabin attendant was fired and another suspended.
- Japan Airlines President Mitsuko Tottori will receive a 30% pay cut for two months.
- The transport ministry reprimanded the airline and requested preventive measures.
Japan Airlines President Mitsuko Tottori will face a 30% pay cut for two months following an incident where two cabin attendants drank alcohol the day before a flight and subsequently lied about it in an internal investigation. The airline announced the punitive measures for its board members, taking the matter "extremely seriously" and offering a deep apology.
The incident, which occurred in May, led to a flight from Hiroshima to Tokyo being delayed by approximately 40 minutes. The chief cabin attendant, in her 50s, was later fired by JAL, while another attendant, in her 30s, received a suspension. Both were found to have attempted to cover up their violation of company rules regarding alcohol consumption.
Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism reprimanded the airline on Friday, urging it to compile preventive measures by July 17. The ministry determined that the incident demonstrated that "awareness of safety issues has yet to be thoroughly ensured" within the company.