Two top Japan Airlines bosses docked pay after flight attendant consumed alcohol on duty

A Japan Airlines flight attendant was found to have consumed alcohol while on duty. Photo / AP

Two top bosses at Japan Airlines have been docked pay after a flight attendant was found to have allegedly consumed alcohol while on duty.

The airline's president Yuji Akasaka and its head of the cabin attendants division Eri Abe, will take a one month salary deduction of 20 and 10 per cent respectively, to take responsibility for the incident, Japan Times reported.

An internal probe concluded the female flight attendant in question had to be removed from duty for the remainder a Tokyo to Honolulu flight last week after testing positive in two breathalyser tests, the airline said.

"An unserved (6 ounce or 200 ml) bottle of Champagne for premium economy was found empty in the galley area," Japan Airlines said in a release, citing that fact as one basis for the conclusion.

In addition, no alcohol was detected in a pre-flight breathalyser test, but the two tests during the flight recorded readings of 0.15 milligrams and 0.1 mg of alcohol per litre of breath. Japan Airlines sets a limit of 0.1 mg per litre for pilots.

The 46-year-old flight attendant denied the accusation, claiming she had used mouthwash in the washroom, according to The Asahi Shimbun.

It's not the first incident of this nature for Japan Airlines.

According to the South China Morning Post, 19 pilots were found to have alcohol levels above 0.1 mg in the last 16 months in violation of airline policy, resulting in a total of 12 flights being delayed.

And last month a co-pilot for the airline pleaded guilty after he was arrested for failing a breath test shortly before a London to Tokyo in which he was almost 10 times over the legal limit for alcohol.

Katsutoshi Jitsukawa, 42, acknowledged he had drunk about two bottles of wine and a pitcher of beer the previous night.