Japan Airlines President and CEO Mitsuko Tottori and several senior executives will take salary reductions following a cabin crew alcohol incident that led the airline to strengthen its alcohol policies and safety procedures.
Tottori will receive a 30% salary cut for two months, while JAL Chairperson Yuji Akasaka will also take a 30% reduction for the same period and step down from his role as Safety Controller. Other senior safety and cabin operations executives will also face temporary pay cuts.
The action follows an incident in May when two flight attendants consumed alcohol during an overnight layover in Hiroshima before operating a scheduled flight to Tokyo. One crew member later failed a mandatory pre-flight alcohol test and did not properly report the result, forcing the airline to replace the crew and delaying the flight by around 42 minutes.
The incident affected 186 passengers and resulted in disciplinary action against both employees. One flight attendant was dismissed, while the other received a suspension. JAL also introduced a new rule banning cabin crew from consuming alcohol during work layovers before operating flights.
Japan Airlines described the incident as a serious management failure and said the disciplinary measures demonstrate its commitment to rebuilding passenger trust and strengthening its safety culture. The airline has faced previous alcohol-related issues involving crew members, making safety compliance a major focus for its leadership.