A Japanese pilot has admitted to being almost 10-times over the alcohol limit shortly before a flight from London's Heathrow Airport.
Katsutoshi Jitsukawa (42) was arrested after being reported to police when an airport bus driver smelled alcohol on him.
The drunk pilot failed a breath test just 50 minutes before the Japan Airlines flight to Tokyo.
Jitsukawa was due to be in the cockpit of the Boeing 777 aircraft that holds up to 244 passengers.
He has pleaded guilty to exceeding the alcohol limit at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court in England.
The pilot is due to be sentenced at on November 29th.
Tests revealed he had 189mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood in his system.
The limit for a pilot intending to fly is 20mg.
The drink-drive limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 80mg.
Japan Airlines issued an apology and pledged to "implement immediate actions to prevent any future occurrence", adding that "safety remains our utmost priority".
The flight departed after a 69-minute delay.
