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JAL probed over copilot’s drinking
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An airport employee works under passenger planes of Japan Airlines at Tokyo's Haneda airport on July 31, 2018. Major Japanese carriers All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL) on July 31 reported sluggish April-June profits as fuel costs weighed despite higher revenues.
Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP (AFP/Kazuhiro Nogi)
T
he transport ministry on Tuesday conducted an on-site inspection of Japan Airlines’ flight operation office at Haneda Airport, Tokyo, over the arrest of a JAL copilot by British police for excessive drinking. The inspection, authorized under the Civil Aeronautics Law, was the first such measure taken by the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry in this case.
The copilot was arrested last month after he was found to have a breath alcohol level exceeding the British legal limit for a pilot. He was about to board a Haneda-bound flight departing from London.
Seven officials from the ministry’s Civil Aviation Bureau entered the JAL office around 10 a.m. on Tuesday. According to the ministry, the inspection will continue until Thursday to examine such matters as whether the substance of the report JAL submitted to the ministry after the arrest was correct. Their inspection will include questioning two JAL captains who were initially scheduled to board a flight with the copilot and checking the facts of how the pre-flight breath test was conducted.
Transport minister Keiichi Ishii said Tuesday at a press conference following a Cabinet meeting, “The ministry will gain information and analyze it so as to strictly supervise the company and enforce preventive measures to be steadily implemented.” The ministry will also conduct on-site inspections for All Nippon Airways and others from Wednesday.
In response to the inspection, JAL said, “We will thoroughly cooperate and sincerely deal with it
