Police control at Schiphol finds co-pilot, crew member with too-high alcohol levels

Police found a co-pilot and cabin crew member with too-high blood alcohol levels on Thursday at Schiphol Airport. The co-pilot was fined 1,100 euros and the crew member may have to appear in court, according to the police.

The alcohol check was conducted by the aviation surveillance team of the police and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (KMar). From 6 a.m. to noon, the team checked the alcohol levels of 101 pilots and 341 cabin crew members at the airport. 

The co-pilot and cabin crew member were both from a foreign airline. They continued on the flight as passengers after being tested. 

Flight crews are not allowed to consume alcohol 10 hours before a flight, according to the police. However, authorities occasionally find intoxicated crew members during such alcohol checks.

In 2019, a co-pilot scheduled to fly a commercial flight out of Schiphol was detained and fined after a breath test showed his alcohol levels were three times higher than the legal limit. A year prior, a drunk pilot was preparing for takeoff when police removed him from the plane.