Japan Airlines has reprimanded a pilot for allowing a female cabin attendant to sit in the captain's seat and pose for photographs during a flight.

The December 3 cockpit photo session did not affect the safety of JAL Flight 422, which was on autopilot at cruise altitude, carrying 176 passengers and 14 crew members from London to Osaka, airline spokeswoman Yuko Takahashi said on March 12.

The attendant, 28, briefly sat in the captain's seat and placed her hands on the controls. The pilot, 45, encouraged her to do so after she entered the cockpit to serve him and the co-pilot soft drinks.

After more than two months of investigation, the airline verbally reprimanded the captain and the cabin attendant over their "inappropriate act" and reported the incident to Japan's Transport Ministry in late February.

The co-pilot, 34, was also reprimanded verbally for his failure to intervene.

The airline pledged to take steps to prevent any recurrence of such "imprudent behavior."