Japanese Airlines (JAL) executives have announced their own pay cuts after two flight attendants violated the no-alcohol-within-12-hours-of-a-flight policy, and it’s the third time in less than a year that the JAL CEO has docked her own pay over crews’ drinking. According to Aviation Wire (Google-translated into English), the most recent violation occurred on May 23, 2026, when a chief flight attendant scheduled to work a morning flight from Hiroshima to Tokyo failed mandatory pre-duty breathalyzer tests.
The airline said the attendant had consumed alcohol beyond the company’s permitted cutoff time while staying overnight before the return flight. Another flight attendant who drank with the senior crew member also faced disciplinary action, though she passed her breathalyzer test, according to reports citing the airline’s announcement. The flight departed 42 minutes late as a result.
Beyond the initial policy violation, it was the chief flight attendant’s deliberate attempt to hide her failed breathalyzer test that triggered the severe executive salary penalties and a swift reprimand from the Japanese government. She tested positive during a mandatory morning self-check at her hotel but intentionally hid and delayed submitting the result, hoping her levels would drop by the time she reached the airport, VOI reported.
JAL execs dock pay, government sets deadline for improvement
In response to the May 2026 violations, JAL said President Mitsuko Tottori will take a 30% pay cut for two months. Chairman Yuji Akasaka will also see his compensation reduced by 30% for two months. Other executives face smaller reductions, with board members and officers receiving pay cuts as part of the company’s accountability measures.
The airline additionally imposed penalties on executives responsible for safety oversight and flight operations. JAL said the measures reflect the seriousness with which it views repeated alcohol-related incidents involving crew members.
The latest penalties mark the third time since 2025 that Tottori has voluntarily reduced her own compensation because of alcohol-related violations by airline staff. Earlier this year, JAL announced executive pay cuts after two pilots on a December 2024 flight from Melbourne to Tokyo consumed alcohol beyond company limits before reporting for duty.
Japan‘s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism later issued a business improvement advisory to the airline over the incident. In another case in 2025, a captain scheduled to operate a flight from Honolulu to central Japan admitted to drinking alcohol before duty after initially calling in sick, leading to lengthy delays affecting hundreds of passengers. The ministry subsequently issued an administrative warning to JAL.
The recurring incidents have prompted increasingly strict measures from the carrier. Previously, JAL prohibited crew members from drinking within 12 hours of flight duty. Following the latest case, however, the airline announced a complete ban on alcohol consumption by cabin attendants during layovers before return flights.
The policy applies to more than 6,000 flight attendants and represents a significant shift from a time-based restriction to a broader prohibition during overnight stays tied to flight operations. JAL has also said it is strengthening alcohol testing procedures and reinforcing internal safety education as regulators continue to scrutinize the airline’s operations.
The company has repeatedly apologized for the incidents and said it is working to prevent future violations. The government has ordered JAL to submit a concrete package of permanent preventive measures by July 17, 2026.
Published: Jun 16, 2026 02:23 pm