Suffering Sucataash
I don't recall writing that it was in Aus. My references was directed towards the Airline and its affiliates.
If you diversify your business and continue to play off from the core business name then some of the mud must stick.
Note Qantas has taken a different path they are naming their new airlines by a different name. Could this be that they know that further down the "cost cutting mile" anything that may warrant bad publicity, then the market would hold back on any association to Qantas.
I recall when Ansett New Zealand had a bad accident many years ago the first thing done was to paint out the Ansett tail Logo.
Get the point now!! ( read on)
Detained pilot on alcohol charge
A Virgin Atlantic pilot detained by police in Washington has been charged with attempting to operate an aircraft while under the influence of alcohol, an airline spokesman said.
Captain Richard Harwell, 55, who is American but based in the UK, had been due to take 383 passengers on a Virgin Atlantic flight from Washington to Heathrow airport in London when he was arrested.
The spokesman said Captain Harwell had been with the airline 14 years and had an "unblemished record".
"Everyone at Virgin Atlantic is shocked and surprised," the spokesman said. "This is unprecedented -- it's the first time it has happened in the 20 years we've been operating and is totally out of character for Captain Harwell, who is an extremely experienced and popular pilot.
"We are at a loss to explain what has happened."
Captain Harwell, who has been stood down from duty, was still in custody and the issue of bail would be established later, the spokesman added.
The airline has started an internal inquiry into the incident.
"We will be talking to him and the authorities over the coming weeks to find out what has happened," the spokesman said.
Sunday night's VS22 flight had to be delayed after the pilot was arrested and the stranded travellers were put up in hotels until a new crew could be found.
They were expected to leave Washington at 6.15pm local time (2215 AEDT), arriving at Heathrow early on Monday, 23 hours late.
Captain Harwell lives in the UK with his family.
The pilot was detained by Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority Police Department shortly before his flight after security screeners detected alcohol on his breath.
He was escorted off the plane by airport police, who were alerted by the Transportation Safety Administration, which suspected he was under the influence of alcohol.
The spokesman said all the stranded passengers had been offered a free return flight and appreciated the airline's actions to help them, despite being frustrated at the delay.
"We were open and candid with them and immediately said why the plane was not able to fly," he said.
The spokesman added: "Our policy of no tolerance to alcohol in the workplace is well established and well understood, and well understood by Captain Harwell.
Fourteen British Airways staff were suspended and two were subsequently dismissed after a Channel 4 Dispatches program carried out an undercover investigation three years ago which showed crews drinking, only hours before flights.
Last month, two British Airways pilots arrested after allegedly being over the company's alcohol limit resigned.
BA rules state air personnel should only drink alcohol in moderation in the 24 hours before going on duty and should have none in the final eight hours.
The Railways and Transport Safety Act passed earlier this year set an alcohol limit for air crews at 20mg in 100ml of blood -- 25 per cent of the drink drive limit.
A date is still to be set for when the limit will be introduced.