That article is over three years old and written a couple of months after the Dao incident. FA authority has been significantly upheld by carriers since then, including authority to refuse boarding ticketed passengers if they're judged unfit to fly. As mentioned above the news report cited is a recitation of plaintiff's charges, but if Ryan was allowed to board while noticeably intoxicated and subsequently served unlimited alcohol onboard, there will and should be consequences for the ground and flight crew members responsible and WN will have to swallow whatever financial penalities accrue due to their agent's actions and inaction.