From CNN
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/eu....ap/index.html
'Drunk' easyJet pilot suspended
Wednesday, January 12, 2005 Posted: 1245 GMT (2045 HKT)
BERLIN, Germany (AP) -- An easyJet pilot has been suspended while the airline investigates whether she showed up for a flight drunk, the company says.
The pilot had been scheduled to fly a 6:45 a.m. flight on January 8 from Berlin's Schoenefeld airport to Basel, Switzerland, but was "prevented from flying duty on suspicion of being over the alcohol limit," spokesman Steve Eisenberg said Wednesday.
The airline instead found another pilot, and the flight left at 7:09 a.m. local time, he said.
The pilot has been suspended while the airline conducts an internal investigation, he said.
British law requires that pilots not consume alcohol for a minimum of 8 hours before reporting for duty.
London-based easyJet's regulations are stricter, banning all alcohol 10 hours before flight time and limiting the number of drinks pilots can have in the 14 hours before that, Eisenberg said.
The company has 1,081 pilots, he said.
"We have never before encountered (an incident) such as this. Should the allegations be proved, easyJet would be disappointed and distressed," Eisenberg said.
Schoenefeld airport refused comment.