EK drug & alcohol policy.

[helen-damnation]

Looks like they're finding a way around the "on duy" 1 hour before departure argument. Any rebuttal?

The Company maintains a zero tolerance approach to the consumption of alcohol and drugs, and therefore employees should not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs while :

carrying out duties on behalf of the Company - on or off Company premises, during official breaks (including meal breaks), and on periods of standby subject to being called on duty


in uniform (on or off duty)

driving a Company vehicle (on or off duty)

[fatbus]

I dont think that is a change. No liquid lunchs and no big nights prior to an office day. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Jet II]

Isnt that a pretty common rule around the world? - In all the companies I have worked for no drinking was allowed when wearing company uniform, irrespective of whether you were on or off duty.

There always used to be some regulation about you are representing the company when in uniform so being drunk is not acceptable.

[fatbus]

I B like the way you think.

Jet II I agree with you, these are company regs( apply to everyone). Keep in mind that GCAA regs are diffirent set of regs (apply to crew)

[break dancer]

I don't know where you've been hiding your heads, but, people have already been tested at the training college before ground school and also when coming down in the hotel down route. Happened to me in BKK. The gestapo were there for about 3 days testing about 5 crew on each flight before leaving on the bus. They then left as news got around.

[falconeasydriver]

Honestly, whats the big deal? this is no different to just about everywhere else in the world.
With respect to being in uniform, to me its very easy to remove all obvious signs of uniform and look like a security guard, or an office worker wearing a pullover, but as that is generally on the way home..why all the rancour?
All this misses the main point, you should be free of drugs and alcohol to the regulated standard when you put on your uniform, isnt that the idea anyway?

For example, imagine stepping outside for your pickup for CRM training & being asked to undergo a breath test, simply because your neighbour down the street took offence to the birthday bash you had the night before. And it's a sackable offence to refuse the test.

Oakape, if you are that concerned, call in sick, or drive yourself to work in civvies..and get changed into uniform there? Problem solved.
Sure rules is rules, but a little lateral thinking, and you CAN control when you are vunerable (if you live in that state of paranoia)

This to me looks more like a simple exercise by those who live and breathe this manual writing stuff of tidying up any grey areas, and most of the guys who moan are the very same ones who enjoy a bender downroute..or at home, those having a couple of beers or wines on a layover wouldnt even register.

The prescription drugs issue is also a no brainer, invest in a 15 second question/email with the Doc or AME at the clinic, how hard is that????

BTW, I'm not trying to be a company apologist here, I'm just trying to put a bit of COMMON SENSE prespective on this, and I'd suggest if you've got drug/alcohol testers turning up at your front door...you've probably got bigger things to worry about.

[Bring Back The Biff]

...which is standard procedure.

I think you will find that if you test positive for any number of medicinal 'pharmaceuticals' - if you can provide a rational explanation, there is no problem.

You'll probably love this too - but go easy on the breads with poppy seeds as they will trigger an 'opiates' alarm!

Yes, seriously.

[Bring Back The Biff]

In the same vein, today's National ran the following story:


Drug and alcohol testing for UAE airlines staff
Carol Huang
Last Updated: May 10, 2011

DUBAI // Random alcohol and drug tests for local airline pilots and other staff performing "sensitive safety functions" are to be introduced by the UAE's civil aviation authority.

Many airlines follow this practice, which the General Civil Aviation Authority recommended in draft regulations four years ago. It will become an official requirement in November.

The carriers will be mandated to test at least one fifth of certain employees - that is, pilots, cabin crew, air-traffic controllers and ground engineers - at a frequency of their choosing, no less than once a year.

"From this year it will be effective," said Dr Nabila al Awadhi, aeromedical inspector for the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). "We will monitor the testing results."

She declined to say how many instances of drug or alcohol use have been recorded.

With 7,000 pilots working for local airlines, even a small instance of substance abuse could pose a problem, she said. And with such a diverse pool of aviation workers - coming from more than 150 countries - she said it was hard to know how common the issue might be.

"The prevalence of alcohol and drug use is high worldwide. Here, we don't have any national statistics regarding this," she said. "But by implementing this, we will find them."

Many countries such as the UK do not administer random tests, which can be costly to administer among a large staff. Instead they rely on "reasonable suspicion", which can net a higher percentage of positives.

In more than 100,000 random drug tests conducted in the US aviation industry in 2001, 0.60 per cent of employees tested positive, according to Paul Howgill, the head of aviation medicine training of the UK civil aviation authority, in a presentation in the UAE this week.


Among those chosen for reasonable suspicion, 9.4 per cent tested positive.

Aviation workers who violate the alcohol and drug rules will lose their jobs, but those who admit abuse would receive help, said Dr Awadhi. "The aim of this policy is not punitive. It is supportive."

A pilot for Emirates Airline, who declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak, said that since testing started about four years ago, he has been selected once. It was his only test in nearly 20 years as a pilot, most of them with Emirates, he said.

He said he was not aware of a problem of colleagues showing up under the influence, even if they might have had a drink within 12 hours before work, the limit set by the company.

"If you drink 11 hours and 59 minutes before - one glass of beer or wine - it's impossible someone will be able to trace that. And you can push this limit to six hours, five hours," he said.

But for anyone caught above the limit, "you are going to get fired 100 per cent," he said.

The major UAE carriers, Etihad Airways and Emirates Airline, did not respond to requests for comment.

My favourite bit is how it's not meant to be punitive - but "supportive".

Love your work "pilot" - keep pushing that five hours, and let me know how it turns out for you...

[dubaicrew]

Not sure of what answers youre expecting here Helen.
Also im not sure of what the debate is.
An hour does not make a difference, seriously.
Quite unwise to be calculating the 12 hour rule so carefully too,(alcohol affects different people differently).
At the end of the day, if they test you and youre positive, youre pretty much screwed.

[FlyingCroc]

All the airlines I worked for this was not a big deal, sometimes even after a flight we had a drink on the plane, or we went even straight to the bar across the crew hotel in uniform, since the owner expected us allready to start the party. Otherwise normally the policy was to take of epaulettes, tie etc, now you could be any ground staff deadheading home.
I understand alcohol is a very sensitive issue in the Gulf countries and generally there is not a problem since there are no bars in public view and the policy in uniform makes sense. However the policy here in the sandpit seems to be more hideous with this rule whenever on company premises no alc. What if I get a staff ticket on my day off or attending a ground course with some leftover alc in the blood? :eek:

[Swansafa]

I understand alcohol is a very sensitive issue in the Gulf countries ......there are no bars in public view....

Have you ever been to a gulf country?

sometimes even after a flight we had a drink on the plane, or we went even straight to the bar across the crew hotel in uniform....... take of epaulettes, tie etc, now you could be any ground staff

Have you read the first post? It's not about drinking in uniform.

[harry the cod]

Flying Croc

For Christ's sake man, if you're coming into HQ for a ticket on a day off, why the f**k would the Company be breathtesting you and why would you accept it anyway. Of course, the fact that you'd driven in under the influence is obviously lost on you.

As for training college, doesn't that count as a duty? So, no drinking 12 hours before duty. It's not difficult. Snap out of it!

Harry

[dubaicrew]

The answer is simple : don't drink before duty, but during duty - for example during the first couple of hours of a IAH or a LAX flight.
So even if they test you after landing, you will still be out of the limits.

Bottles are usually left unattended in the first class galley, when ladies are doing the service.

What a load of crap.

[kotakota]

Dubaicrew - grow up man , do not rise to an obvious p***take.
You MUST be destined for a management position , 1st requirement :- Sense of Humour failure.