Originally Posted by
exeng
Whatever happened to the Pilot from BA who was reported as being 'drunk' before departing ARN about 10 or 15 years ago? Apparently he was sacked. Was there a prosecution - and if so what was the result?
It's a long time ago but it seems that at the time all the press were reporting that the pilot was drunk - and yet I can find no news of a prosecution. Is it possible that the authorities found that blood test results indicated the pilot was not actually 'drunk', or was it possible that the authorities somehow 'messed up' or 'lost' the tests.
If not prosecuted, or if prosecuted and found not guilty then it would seem unjust that the pilot was sacked.. I believe that because of the uncertainty the pilot was sacked because he had 'brought the company into disrepute'. Is that so?
Probably this 2003 case below, maybe he copped a walk if the Swedes didn't prosecute but one of the posts in the OSL thread linked below said he was indeed sacked by BA. I don't know what happened, some of these cases make a splash in the media but these days are quietly resolved with a plea bargain and a secret squirrel rehab deal.
With the case in OSL around the same time, the BA captain was sober but allowed his drunk FO to show up for the flight. The OSL BA captain got sentenced to six months in prison.
BA pilot 'fails breath test at airport'
A British Airways pilot is facing the sack after allegedly being caught over the alcohol limit as he prepared to fly a passenger plane to London.
It is understood that the pilot was held by Swedish police after failing a breath test he was asked to take before the flight was due to leave from Arlanda airport near Stockholm.
A British Airways spokeswoman said the pilot, who has not been named, has been removed from flying duties while a full BA investigation was carried out, in addition to the inquiry by Swedish police.
"We are extremely concerned to hear of this alleged incident," the spokeswoman said.
She said BA had "very strict rules governing the use of alcohol" which amounted to a "zero tolerance" policy.
"It's a disciplinary offence for an employee to report for work impaired by alcohol and it is deemed to be gross misconduct, which can result in dismissal.
"A full investigation has been launched."
The spokeswoman said the pilot had been flown back to the UK, where he was "helping" with the investigation.
Story filed: 21:40 Saturday 25th January 2003
Translation of the swedish newspaper article.
Svenska Dagbladet
1-2-2003
Unclear if drunk pilot will be charged
The BA captain who was stopped just before start at Arlanda last sarurday, was under the influence of alcohol. The result of the blood test that came in yesterday shows 0.59 promille.
But Björn Frithiof, the public prosecutor who leads the investigation, has not decided if he will or will not bring charges.
- Off the cuff, I feel that the action is so serious that charges are indicated. But here is a possibilty to refrain from bringing charges, since the pilot concerned is not swedish and lives abroad. One can also require him to be charged in England.-
Aviation rules do not state any promille limits and the concept of of "drunk flying" does not exist. But someone who is so much under the influence of alcohol or other substances when working on a flight deck that he "can not execute his duties in a safe manner" can get up to two years in prison, or be fined when the transgression is of a lesser nature.
Contemporaneous PPRuNe discussion of the ARN incident:
BA Pilot arrested in ARN ???
and of the OSL incident:
BA crew test positive for alcohol (Sentences)