A Japan Airlines flight from Dallas to Tokyo was canceled after the airline reported that the captain got drunk at a hotel bar, according to Japanese media. The Mainichi stated that the captain had dined with other crew members in Dallas, continued drinking throughout the evening in the hotel lounge and his room. At around 2 a.m. on Tuesday, the pilot’s disorderly conduct prompted a call to the police from a hotel employee. The police warned the captain not to cause any further problems.
The decision to cancel the flight was made by Japan Airlines to assess the captain’s physical and mental well-being. The airline was unable to find a replacement pilot in time for the Wednesday morning departure. Data from FlightAware showed that the flight was canceled. Japan Airlines helped transfer the 157 passengers to alternative flights. Although rare, there have been recent incidents of pilots reporting for duty under the influence, such as a Delta Air Lines captain in March and a United Airlines pilot in 2023.
In these instances, the pilots faced legal consequences for turning up to work while under the influence. The Federal Aviation Administration states that a pilot’s ability to fly a plane is significantly impaired by alcohol use, with serious errors increasing at or above concentrations of 0.04% blood alcohol. Japan Airlines did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.