Finnair pilot removed from cockpit before flight

[Air Sober]

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A Finnair captain is suspected to be under influence shortly before departing towards Constanta, Romania, on Friday the 22nd July in Helsinki airport.

The police removed the pilot from the cockpit, had him breathalysed, and then took him to the blood test. The test results should be ready within a week.

"This is extremely rare", says Usko Määttä, Head of Information Department in Finnair. According to him the Finnair pilots are not known to be under influence for decades when on duty.


(free translation from an evening newspaper Ilta-Sanomat on 24th July)



Also there was a similar piece of news on the web pages of Helsingin Sanomat on 22.7.2005 at 19:17, where the Flight ops manager Hannes Bjurström was interviewed.

He described the pilot as experienced, with no previous offences. "We are very strict on these matters. If it [that he was influenced] turns out to be the case, then the meritorous career of the pilot concerned is over", he adds.

Finnair applies a zero tolerance rule to its flight crew members.




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[ironbutt57]

why is that rare....:confused:

[Dave Gittins]

"He described the pilot as experienced, with no previous offences ......"

Well if it's an instant dismissal offence there wouldn't be !!!!

:rolleyes:

[targaman]

Publicity like this..........

Speeds up the introduction of compulsory drug & alcohol testing.

If you want that to happen then keep on NOT reporting your drug/alcohol using colleagues before it is too late. Self regulation is always preferable to cgovernment or company regulation.

Politicians work on publicity in the first instance and statistics in the second. Don't give them any cases such as this to work with.

Last company I worked for had a Captain so full the security bag checkers at ANC called the cops before he boarded the flight. What was his crew thinking!?

Zero tolerance and flying is a personal responsibility that requires personal action by a fellow crew memeber when another crew member is unwilling or unable to exercise self control.

It (Zero tolerance) is not a company or regulator rule issue in my opinion.

Put yourself in the passengers seat

Made my point?

Chok Dee.