Pilot Suspected of Drinking
Virgin Atlantic Aviator Held; Dulles-London Flight Canceled
By Clarence Williams and Martin Weil
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, December 20, 2003; Page B01
A pilot for Virgin Atlantic Airways was detained at Dulles International Airport for a possible drinking violation last night, shortly before he was to fly almost 400 passengers to London, authorities said.
"One of our pilots has been detained by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police on suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol," said John Riordan, a spokesman for Virgin Atlantic.
Amy von Walter, a spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration, said a screener did "detect the smell of alcohol" at an airport checkpoint.
The pilot proceeded to the cockpit of the 747, where airline officials confronted him, then asked police to remove him, an airports authority spokeswoman said.
FAA regulations prohibit consumption of alcohol within eight hours of flying, an FAA spokesman said. He said the blood alcohol limit is 0.04.
The pilot's name could not be learned, and no information about his background was available. Late last night, the airports authority spokeswoman said that the pilot was being detained while an investigation was pursued but that no charges had been filed. The airline said the pilot had been suspended.
The flight was canceled before passengers boarded, and hotel accommodations were found for them. A replacement pilot was expected to fly them to London today, the airline spokesman said.
"We're all very upset," said passenger Martin Kind of Annapolis. He said that his wife and son were in London and that he had planned to join them there today. "Now I'm going to have to schlep all the way back to Annapolis or stay in the hotel."
Referring to the pilot, Kind asked, "What was he thinking?"
FAA and airline spokesmen said incidents such as last night's are rare. Riordan called passenger safety and security the airline's "number one priority" and said Virgin Atlantic followed a "strict no-alcohol policy."
Riordan said the flight, designated as VS 022, was scheduled to leave at 7:30 p.m., with 383 passengers -- almost a full load. The airliner was to land at 7:05 a.m.
Riordan said Virgin's duty manager at Dulles told the passengers the reason for the flight's cancellation.
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