While flight delays can happen, you’d hope it wouldn’t be for this reason…
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Japan Airlines Boeing 787 pilot calls in sick from drinking
On Thursday, August 28, 2025, Japan Airlines had quite the operational mess at Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL).
The Boeing 787 captain who was scheduled to work flight JL793 to Nagoya (NGO) called in sick the day of the flight, and admitted to drinking too much alcohol the day before at the hotel, during his layover. Flights aren’t generally staffed with more pilots than legally mandated, so this caused a major operational issue.
Fortunately this particular flight only operated with a delay of just over two hours, as it departed at 4:47PM rather than 2:20PM. But that was only possible because Japan Airlines borrowed a Dreamliner captain who was supposed to work one of the carrier’s other flights that day.
However, this then caused JL71 to Tokyo Haneda (HND) to be delayed by around 18 hours, since that’s where the captain was borrowed from. The flight was initially supposed to depart at 4:35PM, but only ended up departing at 11:34AM the following morning. That same flight the following day was similarly delayed, and in the end, around 630 passengers were impacted by this one pilot calling in sick.
To the captain’s credit, I commend him for calling in sick and being honest, rather than showing up to work above the legal limit, as we see happen all too often. At least he made the responsible decision after initially making an irresponsible decision.
It’s worth keeping in mind that we have no reason to believe this pilot was “drunk,” but rather we just know that he exceeded the strict limits that apply for pilots. Japan Airlines’ regulations require that crews not drink alcohol within 12 hours of a flight, and that the amount consumed before that be within 40 grams, equivalent to roughly half a bottle of wine.
Japan’s government now investigating what’s going on
Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, has today visited Japan Airlines’ headquarters in Tokyo, to investigate this incident. While you’ll find pilots at virtually all airlines occasionally exercise bad judgment when it comes to drinking, it does seem like Japan Airlines has a disproportionate issue with this.
In April 2024, a Japan Airlines flight from Dallas (DFW) was canceled after a captain partied too hard, and ultimately had police called on him at the layover hotel. In December 2024, a Japan Airlines flight from Melbourne (MEL) was delayed by hours after both pilots admitted they had too much alcohol in their system, after having a glass of sparkling wine each, plus three bottles of wine, at a restaurant the afternoon before the flight.
Perhaps the worst incident of all was in 2018, when a Japan Airlines flight from London (LHR) was canceled after a pilot was found to have a blood alcohol level of 0.189. At the time, the maximum blood alcohol level for pilots was 0.02, so he was at nearly 10x that limit.
Japan Airlines has been under scrutiny from regulators to get this under control, and earlier this year, outlined the steps it’s taking to change the culture at the airline. However, clearly that’s still a work in progress.
Japan is such an interesting country. As an outsider, Japan always seems like such an orderly society where great importance is placed on rules and conformity. Yet many Japanese people also really like to let loose, and when they do, all rules are off…
Bottom line
A Japan Airlines flight from Honolulu was delayed after a pilot called in sick due to drinking too much the day before. Unlike some other pilots, at least he called in, rather than just showing up to work above the legal limit.
This caused major operational issues — while the airline was able to find a replacement pilot for this particular flight within a couple of hours, this meant that another flight had to be delayed overnight. The carrier is now once again being investigated by regulators over why this is a recurring problem.
What do you make of this Japan Airlines drinking pilot situation?
Wow, I wasn't aware of that. No bueno for this pilot then.
@Ben
JAL's alcohol policy has been updated after the last few cases. JAL does currently not allow their crews (cabin and cockpit) to drink alcohol on layovers. The case in DFW where the pilot would have been within the rules technically, but causing quite a scene caused a complete ban on alcohol for layovers.
I think we are making the assumption that the captain voluntarily called in sick. I could see a scenario where the other two crewmembers told the captain to call in sick or they would refuse to fly with him.
Used to do quite a lot of work trips to Tokyo. Similar story most nights. Local businessman are super quiet and diminutive until about the third drink then the party goes mental!
Just my experience.
I don't recall any computer being alcoholic.
Pilots and ATC does.
I hope he doesn't face serious repercussions from self-reporting. That's the kind of honesty and transparency that makes the industry so safe to begin with, and if he's forthcoming enough to self-report he's probably also the type to not let it happen again.
And whomst among us hasn't had one to many mai tais at the tiki bar?
I don't think it's honesty and transparency that made the airline industry as safe as it is today
Read enough articles like this and I begin to wonder how safe the system really is.
This is Japan we are speaking about. He either self-punishes to atone for his crime or there will be punishment from the company - even if they might phrase it nicely. I see no way he comes away from this clean.
The problem is that his poor judgment cost the company probably tens of thousands of dollars, as I'd imagine JAL had to put most of the 630 inconvenienced passengers up over night, plus pay for meals etc., That also doesn't consider the cost to those passengers of missed work and other expenses of not being home for another day (parking at the airport, pet sitting?). So while yes, we want to encourage pilots to not...
The problem is that his poor judgment cost the company probably tens of thousands of dollars, as I'd imagine JAL had to put most of the 630 inconvenienced passengers up over night, plus pay for meals etc., That also doesn't consider the cost to those passengers of missed work and other expenses of not being home for another day (parking at the airport, pet sitting?). So while yes, we want to encourage pilots to not fly if they are in any way incapacitated, there should be some sort of punishment.
Maybe they don't have a great culture of drinking, but good on them for being honest. I would take a delay due to a captain self reporting any day of the week.
Guy puts his paycheck in danger so he can booze it up in his hotel room?
"I love the smell of [judgement] in the morning."