Initially, the 2 pilots lied about their alcohol consumption. Both had taken their own breath tests while still at the hotel the morning of the flight, which revealed they exceeded JAL’s standards on levels acceptable to fly. The Captain called in claiming to be ill and requested a shift delay while the co-pilot proceeded to the airport anyway. From the time he had taken his own breath test at the hotel at around 5 am, the airline took several tests over the next 3 hours until his alcohol blood level was in the “safe” zone. By then, the Captain had arrived at the airport at 6 am and cleared the limit for being authorized to fly. JAL Flight 744 eventually departed Melbourne 3 hours and 11 minutes late due to the incident.
Even small amounts of alcohol can be critical when it comes to cognitive skills, especially critical for pilots who are responsible for the safe transport of human lives. Alcohol has been proven to affect reaction time, judgment, and decision making. The captain had 15,632 flight hours under his belt and was suspended for 180 days while the co-pilot has been suspended for 210 days from flying with 13,310 flight hours to his name. There were 103 passengers and 11 crew members, which included 2 captains, one co-pilot, and 8 cabin attendants onboard the Boeing 787-8 flight.
How Much is Too Much?
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandates a minimum of 8 hours between consuming alcohol and operating an aircraft, with many airlines requiring 12 to 24 hours prior to flying. This is commonly referred to as the “bottle to throttle” rule. As far as the actual alcohol limits goes, the FAA enforces a 0.04% blood alcohol limit for pilots (the limit for driving is less strict at 0.08%). Other aviation authorities, such as EASA in Europe and ICAO on a global level, have similar limits.
Is it the high stress nature of the job itself? Is it the long hours or the erratic schedules? Is it the boredom between take-off and landing? Or could it be the time spent away from family? Whatever “it” is, alcohol consumption is a serious issue in the airline industry. When it comes to who is flying the plane, this critical responsibility for usually hundreds of passengers is especially cause for concern if not downright alarm.
If the FAA can have a zero-tolerance mandate for unruly airline passengers, why can it not have a zero-tolerance policy for the very people entrusted to safely navigate the aircraft transporting those people?
Is Every Pilot Tested Prior to Flights?
In a word, no. Airlines do conduct random testing for alcohol and drugs on pilots, however, the very nature of random testing relies on the pilots themselves governing themselves to assure they are in the proper state to fly.
If a pilot tests over the limit, consequences may include being removed from duty immediately, suspension or revocation of their pilot’s license, permanent termination by the airline, and in some cases, fines may be imposed or even criminal charges. Before being allowed to reapply for a license, pilots must complete mandatory rehabilitation programs. In the US, HIMS (Human Intervention Motivation Study) help pilots with seeking treatment. Rehabilitation programs involve psychological and medical evaluation, detox treatment and rehabilitation, employer and peer support, and monitoring and testing, as well as the process to get re-certified.
High Profile Cases
There have been more than one would probably care to know about high-profile cases of pilots caught under the influence of alcohol, which have led to terminations, arrests, and even changes in airline policies.
Here are some of the more prominent cases.
American Airlines Pilot Arrested
An American Airlines pilot was removed from the cockpit at Edinburgh Airport in Scotland after failing a pre-flight alcohol test in June 2023. The pilot was subsequently arrested and the flight scheduled to depart for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was cancelled.
Air India Pilot Suspended for Failing Alcohol Test AFTER Flight
An Air India pilot violated India aviation authority Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) rules by failing a post-flight alcohol test. This was the pilot’s second offense, resulting in his license being suspended for 3 years.
Delta Airlines Pilot Arrested Before Flight
A Delta Airlines pilot was arrested at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in 2018 for a flight that was headed to San Diego, California, after failing a TSA screening in which an open container of alcohol was found. The pilot was immediately removed from flying and subsequently arrested and charged. Delta Airlines has a zero-tolerance policy on alcohol.
Japan Airlines Pilots 10 Times Over Legal LImit
A Japan Airlines co-pilot, Katsutoshi Jitsukawa, was caught at Heathrow Airport in London in 2018 for a flight scheduled for Tokyo, Japan, with a blood alcohol level shockingly 10 times over the legal limit. The pilot was sentenced to 10 months in prison in the UK. This incident also led to Japan Airlines beefing up its alcohol testing protocols.
Lion Air Pilot Slurring on Radio
An Indonesian Lion Air pilot was caught slurring his speech during pre-flight radio communications in 2017 on a route scheduled to fly another domestic route in Indonesia. He was removed from the flight and after testing positive for alcohol was fired from his job.
United Airlines Pilot Pulled from Cockpit for Intoxication
A United Airlines pilot was removed from the cockpit before takeoff for a flight scheduled to depart Austin, Texas, after it was determined that he was intoxicated. The outcome is that the pilot was arrested.
In a Business Where Human Lives are at Stake
Preventative measures certainly are markers for safety when it comes to putting our lives in the hands of those who provide transportation services, whether on the road in a vehicle, at sea aboard ship, on the rails of a train, or in the skies with hundreds of other passengers.
In a world where so many circumstances are out of our control, when something as simple as a test can determine the safety of lives, there should be 100% action taken versus random testing. I’d wait a few extra minutes for that to happen, wouldn’t you?
