Pilot & attendant on same flight test positive for excessive alcohol at Schiphol
Two members of the same flight crew registered levels of alcohol in their blood that were above legal limits for operating a commercial aircraft. They were the only two people who were caught violating rules during the random check of dozens of flight personnel at Schiphol Airport on Tuesday morning, police in the Netherlands said.
The breath test result for one of the crew members, a pilot, returned a level of 195 micrograms per liter. Investigators converted to a stricter blood alcohol concentration of .045 percent, more than double the legal limit of .02 percent.
"The pilot was given a fine of 2,900 euros. The plane departed with a delay," police said. The airline involved, and the flight destination were not disclosed.
A flight attendant working with the pilot also had a breath test that was just slightly higher than the legal limit. That crew member was forbidden from working for the subsequent two hours, but police did not say if they issued a fine.
Flight personnel are not allowed to drink any alcohol for ten hours before a flight. A total of 156 cabin crew and cockpit staff were tested, but the two who were caught were the only ones identified having violated alcohol rules.
The inspection was carried out by the Dutch police's Aviation Supervision Team, along with the Marechaussee. The branch of the military handles many security and policing tasks at Dutch airports.
