United Pilot Gets Year Ban for Drunk Flying
Joe Cortez July 28, 2023
French newspaper Le Parisien reports the pilot – only identified as 63-year-old Henry W. – also faces a six-month suspended prison sentence.
Pilot Arrived to Gate with Blood Alcohol Level Over Legal Limit
According to reports from USA Today, the United pilot arrived at his gate on an unknown date with signs of drunkenness, including staggering and glassy eyes. Authorities say he had a blood alcohol concentration level of 0.132%, which is three times over the Federal Aviation Administration’s limit and six times the European Aviation Agency’s limits.
The pilot was ultimately charged for being drunk, although it is unclear what his exact charges were. Prosecutors were quoted as saying: “We rarely have drunk aircraft driving. They are rather road crimes.”
In addition to his one-year aviation ban and suspended prison sentence, the pilot will also be forced to pay $4,960 in fines (4,500 EUR). It is unclear if the pilot is still employed by United, or what his role with the carrier would be moving forward.
“We hold all our employees to the highest standards and have a strict no-tolerance policy for alcohol,” the Chicago-based carrier said in a statement to USA Today. “This employee was immediately removed from service and we are fully cooperating with local authorities.”
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Hahaha is it really possible ? LMAO
One year? Alcolholics...even ones who are trying to quit...have relapses. One incident of "drunk flying" should mean a lifetime ban. Unlike with a drunk driver, a drunk pilot can cause the death of hundreds...or even thousands...and many millions in property damage.
And yet here we are pilots are getting aggressive and hostile by seeking no fly list bans for pax who question them when they smell alcohol on them. "If you see something say something" yeah ok sure.
The guy was SIX TIMES the limit. How can that be only a 1 year ban?
It's not as much as it sounds, although 0.13 is definitely drunk. Europe uses a "no tolerance" policy, similar to the one used by the FAA for Air Traffic Controllers in the USA. Effectively, anything other than ZERO is considered "not fit for duty." However, to give the controller or pilot the benefit of the doubt, you're allowed to blow 0.01 without being punished (you will, however, be sent home on sick leave or LWOP). If you blow 0.02 or higher, you're in big trouble.
He should be banned for life, not just a year.
Effectively, he is. The guy is 63 years old and mandatory retirement age is 65. I'm sure that -- assuming this is the only black mark on his record -- it has been "politely suggested" that he should just retire. He will have also lost his medical certificate, and that takes time and money to get it back.