Qantas Frequent Flyer - Qantas Pilot suspended over alcohol reading

Just saw an item on 7 news. Not a lot of details as yet (I find news articles less than factual).

SMH article http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/qantas-stops-takeoff-and-ejects-pilot-who-had-been-drinking-20120805-23nv8.html


Sad it is a woman. I had women Captains on a high percentage of my recent flights including EK ROM-DBX on a 777. The glass ceiling may just have got higher.

I was on this flight, QF516. We taxi'd out, got to about sheps then stopped, and the female pilot told us their was a problem with the navigation instruments (prob couldn't read them properly) and we would need to return to the gate. We turned around, came back and were told to disembark. 1 hour later we boarded again with a new captain.

I had a connecting flight on QF51 BNE -> SIN so my bags didnt make it because myself and another gentleman had to bolt for a taxi and get to the other terminal. Now i know what caused the delay...

Sad it is a woman. I had women Captains on a high percentage of my recent flights including EK ROM-DBX on a 777. The glass ceiling may just have got higher.
Sad that the media are bringing gender into the story.

It does demonstrate a reasonably robust process for alerting of problems. Those who first realised there was a problem should be congratulated for telling someone rather than just hoping all will be OK.

Sad that the media are bringing gender into the story.


Exactly. Flight crew effected by alchohol does happen more frequently than people think - if it was a male captain in the story, I am sure it wouldn't be getting headlines it did and would only be reported once the investigation is complete.

It does demonstrate a reasonably robust process for alerting of problems.



If a pilot had to be affected by alcohol to such an extent that it was noticeable by other crew then that indicates the absence of any "process" at all. The limit for pilots is supposed to be 0.00? Showing the affects of alcohol means 0.05+. She shouldn't have been allowed to drive a car, yet she was allowed drive a plane.

Surely a "reasonably robust process" wouldn't allow a pilot with alcohol in their system anywhere near a flight deck? A "robust process" would breathalyse all flight crew before they started work.

Surely a "reasonably robust process" wouldn't allow a pilot with alcohol in their system anywhere near a flight deck? A "robust process" would breathalyse all flight crew before they started work.Good luck getting any union to agree to that.
Random checks is one thing, getting tested as a precondition to starting work every shift is quite another.

If a pilot had to be affected by alcohol to such an extent that it was noticeable by other crew then that indicates the absence of any "process" at all. The limit for pilots is supposed to be 0.00? Showing the affects of alcohol means 0.05+. She shouldn't have been allowed to drive a car, yet she was allowed drive a plane.

Surely a "reasonably robust process" wouldn't allow a pilot with alcohol in their system anywhere near a flight deck? A "robust process" would breathalyse all flight crew before they started work.
The "robust process" I mentioned is one for whistle blowing and people having the confidence to do so. Is this the same in all countries? I am not suggesting a breathalyser process before getting through the door.

If a pilot had to be affected by alcohol to such an extent that it was noticeable by other crew then that indicates the absence of any "process" at all. The limit for pilots is supposed to be 0.00? Showing the affects of alcohol means 0.05+. She shouldn't have been allowed to drive a car, yet she was allowed drive a plane.

Surely a "reasonably robust process" wouldn't allow a pilot with alcohol in their system anywhere near a flight deck? A "robust process" would breathalyse all flight crew before they started work.

What a preposterous suggestion.

Because of course, ALL flight crew are so untrustworthy as to require mandatory testing before each and every flight.

We should do the same for all train, bus and tram drivers as well. Let's not forget taxi drivers, oh hang it ALL drivers. Motorcyclists and bicyclists too.

Hell, doctors and nurses are untrustworthy and have peoples lives in their hands, test each and every one of them before they go to work.

Let's err on the side of safety and test everyone before they leave their house. Then wrap them in bubble wrap in case they fall over....:(

What a preposterous suggestion.

Because of course, ALL flight crew are so untrustworthy as to require mandatory testing before each and every flight.

We should do the same for all train, bus and tram drivers as well. Let's not forget taxi drivers, oh hang it ALL drivers. Motorcyclists and bicyclists too.

Hell, doctors and nurses are untrustworthy and have peoples lives in their hands, test each and every one of them before they go to work.

Let's err on the side of safety and test everyone before they leave their house. Then wrap them in bubble wrap in case they fall over....:(

Qatar Airways crew are allowed to report ( and encouraged to do so) flight crew or cabin crew not dressed in full uniform...eg Cpt without hat on in public. On for young and old there..maybe thats how they win 5 stars!

The limit for pilots is supposed to be 0.00? Showing the affects of alcohol means 0.05+. She shouldn't have been allowed to drive a car, yet she was allowed drive a plane.



This so full of illogical assumptions and generalisations it is difficult to take seriously. I have not seen any indication as to how the situation was detected by the other crew member/s. You make it sound like the pilot was staggering onto the aircraft with martini in hand. It may have been a very subtle sign, such as smell on breath, rather than any gross demonstration that she had been drinking.