JAL flight canceled as copilot detained in Hawaii for urinating in park

Tuesday 30th June, 05:18 AM JST

TOKYO —

Japan Airlines had to cancel a flight from Honolulu to Narita airport, east of Tokyo, last week as a 53-year-old copilot was detained by police in Hawaii for urinating in a park, the airline said Monday. The cancellation of JAL Flight 75 that was scheduled to leave Honolulu on Thursday forced the 297 passengers to take other flights, according to JAL officials. ‘‘We deeply apologize for causing inconvenience to passengers who planned to take the flight and to other people concerned,’’ a JAL public relations official said.

The copilot drank a bottle of wine and five bottles of beer in Honolulu on Tuesday night before taking a walk and urinating in the park, according to JAL officials. A police officer saw him urinating and took the copilot to a police station. He was detained for two nights before being released Thursday morning after paying a $25 fine for violating a State of Hawaii law.

Kyodo

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Latest 15 of 120 Total Comments Show All

smithinjapan at 11:28 PM JST - 1st July

getsy: "US Cops are A-holesss"

You said that twice, but it doesn't change the fact that unlike Japanese cops, who will let you go for being naked in a park if you're a celebrity (since you've 'suffered enough' -- haha!), American cops WILL arrest those who break indecency laws, and charge them.

It doesn't matter if he would have been okay or not for the flight (and many companies are strict about not getting drunk 48 hours before flights), he broke the law and was taken in; you don't get let go 'because you have work'. The American cops are being SENSIBLE, not Aholes or A-holesss just because J-cops will join you in the urination.
usaexpat at 11:51 PM JST - 1st July

I want to know how many hours before flight time he was drinking? Was he violation with the FAA or simply pissed in the wrong spot while pissed as it were.
OhioDonna at 12:13 AM JST - 2nd July

Did they know he was a pilot when he was caught? Maybe it is a good thing he was caught and detained. Would he have flown the next day? I do not know about others but I would prefer my pilots and co-pilots to be non drinkers. I realize there is no way to regulate what they do when they are not flying. Urinating in public is nasty whether one is man or beast. I cringe when I see dogs at fire hydrants. I do not think the dog owners realize that fire fighters may have to touch a hydrant.
nandakandamanda at 12:37 AM JST - 2nd July

Last two commentators. 1. I want to know how many hours before flight time he was drinking? 2. Would he have flown the next day?

The answers are in the article.
usaexpat at 05:04 AM JST - 2nd July

nandakandamanda: Thanks, I didn't catch the day of the flight on my first trip through. Alright so he would have been sober by flight time and thus just had to go at an unfortunate time.
teleprompter at 09:48 AM JST - 2nd July

drink tuesday flight thursday... Whats the big deal!!! US Cops are A-holesss

It's Hawaii, been Democrat for decades. Like nearly all Dem states they want the Nanny State interfering in every aspect of your life.
RandomTask at 02:43 PM JST - 2nd July

I hate people urinating in public places, it's not so bad in the countryside, but in a built up city it shouldnt be accepted. Coming home to the smell of urine near your apartment is not nice.
mael at 06:57 PM JST - 2nd July

Well yeah! It reaks! But a diddle in the shrubbery wouldn't honk for long and even if one was caought short one could do the whole business and there wouldn't likely be any smell lingering after a day.

But I agree with you about peeing in built-up areas. Though remember this was a park!
mael at 06:58 PM JST - 2nd July

Such typos! I really must preview my posts!
kawabunga at 06:10 PM JST - 3rd July

Japanese think they are such a "clean nation" with the "no shoes" in the house and the Japanese bath system as it is, but when it comes to urinating, they seem to be the nation of "peeing outside". ANYWHERE!! I have seen more than my fair share of outdoor pee-ers!! Taxi drivers are the worst. They are forever peeing at parks or right outside my house, on the light pole!! The most shocking thus far, was at Yuki Matsuri in Sapporo, years ago. An oji san whipped his out and started peeing on a snow sculpture!!
OhioDonna at 03:31 AM JST - 4th July

nandakandamanda : Thanks

Oops, I missed the flight time. Granted he would have been sober but even so I would rather not know how much alcohol a pilot consumes between flights.
Canuckgal at 01:05 PM JST - 4th July

http://www.faa.gov/pilots/safety/pilotsafetybrochures/media/alcohol.pdf

shows the US regulations. 8 hours from "bottle to throttle" after a drink or two is legal but not recommended - Best practice suggested is a 72-hour gap to allow hangover symptoms to subside.

JAL deserves a prize for stupidity, Why didn't they simply fly over one of their on-call pilots (he'd probably have arrived within 12 hours or so) instead of shuffling all their passengers onto other airlines' flights? Duh.
the_sicilian at 08:12 AM JST - 5th July

The only problem with sending a pilot over, is he would have sat in 1st class and been drinking all the way.

Ciao
seawindchalleng at 08:47 AM JST - 6th July

I agree with getsy cops are Aholes, especially the ones in Hawaii, The only reason they want to become cops is because well we all know.... When they lose a fight with their spouse or gf they take it out on civilians. I was a in Hawaii driving down a street, I came to a stop light at a intersection, I took off my safty belt to get my wallet from the glove box. Just then a cop pulled me over and gave me a ticket for driving with out my safty belt on, I wasn't driving I was stoped at a traffic signal. I explained to him, but he gave me a ticket(chicken shit) then while we were looking for a parking stall in waikiki near duty free, I pulled into a parking stall and a police on a mountain bike gave me a ticket because my kid was under 14 in the back seat and not wearing a safty belt, I didn't know about that law and the rental car company didn't mention it at all.(another chicken shit ticket)So I told the officer that I didn't know it was a law and he replied ignorance of the law is not a excuse and gave me a ticket.(chicken shit) Then finially I was with my friends at waikiki beach they were drinking beers on the beach and they offered me one, well I don't drink, but I opened the can of beer and took a sip, the 3 undercover cops arrested my friend and I and took us to HPD. I said what about the Japanese friends we were with, why didn't you arrest them ? He replied, they don't know the law so they did not arrest them.(chicken shit) What happened to ignorance of the law is no excuse??? They also tried to cover up things a cop was drunk and killed a pedestrian near Nuuanu, the cop then moved to Seattle, whats up with that? Go to somewhere elese on a vacation.Hawaii is over rated.　I have many bad experiences in Hawaii, Even at the airport customs?? How about harrassment.
bushlover at 04:05 PM JST - 6th July

I can't wait for them to arrest all the other animals for doing a nature call in nature. Who'da thunk it that doing a nature call could be harmful to nature and worthy of a ticket.