DL2SXM

I'm on a Delta flight early this morning in F. My seat was close enough to the galley where I was able to partially see what was happening. So, the FA prepares a tea in a styrofoam cup, then takes what closely resembles a small bottle of rum, and dumps it in the tea. Next, the beverage cart is positioned in the usual manner, between the F cabin and the flightdeck, and the FA passses the tea off to one of the pilots in the flightdeck.

I personally don't have a problem with this, but I was a little shocked to say the least. I'm pretty sure I know what a airplane sized bottle of rum looks like, and this was it. Sure, I wasn't close enough to read the writing on the bottle, but what else in a galley resembles that?

I know when I'm feeling a little crappy, I like to take the rum bottle and throw a little in my tea, so its possible this pilot was feeling a little sick?

roknroll

If this actually did happen, then I can't fathom how you wouldn't have a problem with one of the pilots drinking while flying the plane

I highly doubt that a bottle of alcohol would be served in this manor. One of the pilots would have to be stupid enough to ask a FA for this while on duty and flying a plane. Then a FA would have to willingly break rules and laws to accommodate them, and then the other pilot would also have to go along with it. I doubt the stars would allign such that multiple employees would risk their jobs and lives in this manor.

MSPeconomist

Is this a response to the locked BE lavatories thread?

realjd

Are people flying in the cockpit jumpseat allowed alcohol? I assume that would be more likely than the pilot consuming in-flight.

glbetrotter

Quick thinking! Oh, boy ...

I want to think that there is an innocuous explanation though.

DL2SXM

I didn't even know that thread was locked.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing, and to be honest with you, it genuinely looked like a rum bottle.

tkey75

Also the same size as a rum bottle is a 5hr energy bottle, a vitamin shot, or any of a multitude of things rum bottle sized.

FlyAO2

1) How do you not have a problem with this!?!?
2) If this is true both pilot and FA need to be fired, but unless you're positive, I'm not sure it is right to file a complaint
3) See # 1 ?!?

MSPeconomist

I would assume not, especially if in uniform.

PRWeezer

Based on your screen name, are you a law enforcement officer? If so, and simply out of my own curiosity (i.e. not in judgment of your response), would you have any authority, or obligation, to pursue what you saw with the FA or other crew member(s)?

Of course one never knows how we might react in the same scenario, but I wonder if I'd have the guts to approach the FA at some point & make a joke along the lines of, 'hey, is it 5 o'clock already in the cockpit?!' (wink, wink) OK I probably wouldn't unless the drinks kept flowing. But I hope your eyes were playing tricks on you in this case.

LedgeT

This should make for a great thread to go in TalkMail...

Not discounting what nypdLieu might have observed; however, I highly doubt that it was rum ... BOTH the pilots and FAs would be putting their jobs & FAA certificates on the line. I say both pilots because the other one should be able to smell the rum in the small quarters of the flight deck.

...Cheers!

jsmith50

Given that there are very specific FAA rules for pilots regarding times from 'bottle to throttle,' if this is in fact what happened, it should absolutely be reported, not only to DL, but to the FAA. However, as others have pointed out, it could've been a number of things in similarly sized bottles and I'm not sure that I would run the risk of jeopardizing someone's career if you're not absolutely certain of what you saw. Of course, the devil's advocate might argue that if that's what you think you saw, report it to DL so that they can investigate it a bit further because of the potential risk to hundreds of lives on board if it was rum!

Please keep us posted if you decide to report it and you get a response!

MR_MAMA

WOW, how could you not get up and ask about it? I sure would not want someone drinking anything to be flying the plane. If you are sure what you saw, I would report it, they can investigate it and even though we will never know the results, this is something DL should know about

DL2SXM

I wasn't born yesterday. close, but not yesterday. I'm sure the FA thought no one had a visible on her. Besides, this was right after 10,000 feet and no one had gotten up yet.

Personally, if the pilot wasn't feeling to well and ONE small bottle of rum dumped in a tea, that wouldn't bother me. Heck, if it made him feel better then I would be perfectly fine with it.

And, just as pilots 'intentionally' disable restrooms in BE, this actually could've happened. However, as I stated in my OP, I couldnt read the writing on the bottle.

orlandodlplat

First of all, who puts rum in tea?

Is it possible it was honey?