SWA Pilot on paid leave pending alcohol investigation

[bubbers44]

Watch his breathalyzer test come back as all zero's for alcohol. Too many passengers and TSA types think turning in a pilot for smelling of alcohol makes them heros now days. Pilots have strict alcohol limits and if they are below these limits they are not guilty of anything. My airline is .02. .04 is over the limit by FAA standards. If he blows .00, which I am sure he did, is he guilty of something? I don't think so.

 

[get2flyin]

Watch his breathalyzer test come back as all zero's for alcohol. Too many passengers and TSA types think turning in a pilot for smelling of alcohol makes them heros now days. Pilots have strict alcohol limits and if they are below these limits they are not guilty of anything. My airline is .02. .04 is over the limit by FAA standards. If he blows .00, which I am sure he did, is he guilty of something? I don't think so.

I'm the first one to back a pilot who gets accused of misappropriate deeds by passengers..and especially by TSA...but come on. He ran away and changed his uniform in the bathroom. I'd like to give the guy the benefit of the doubt, but he has exhibited some REALLY bad judgment so far. Guess we all just wait for the breathalyzer.

 

[BrokenWing]

I was simply saying our fellow aviator did GOOD by not getting on the airplane as a working crewmember.

There is some speculation/evidence that he called in sick from the hotel and was commuting home. Since we carry toothpaste etc in our bags he was in uniform simply to clear security.

Don't know but I would hope I wouldn't get on the jet and I would hope I had the whits to keep my mouth shut.

Gup

Except the police report says the pilot (CA) called in sick from the bathroom.

 

[McNugget]

Get help! Fat, Drunk, and Stupid is no way to go through life, son.

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

Get the dude some HIMS...

 

[satpak77]

I doubt anything will happen, the police themselves wrote a report indicating he did not appear to be drunk or intoxicated

http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/01/heres-the-police-report-on-the.html

 

[ultrarunner]

So it would appear, according to the police report, that he was sent back to the hotel and never was administered a breathalyzer?

If that's the case, then case-closed. Even so, he may have lucked out. Out of uniform, had called in sick prior to being interviewed, was in a bathroom, etc...

It's clearly established he reeked of the previous nights binge, and as soon as he was caught, he acted pretty swiftly to mitigate the damage. It likely worked. He dogged on there, IMO.

 

[satpak77]

So it would appear, according to the police report, that he was sent back to the hotel and never was administered a breathalyzer?

If that's the case, then case-closed. Even so, he may have lucked out. Out of uniform, had called in sick prior to being interviewed, was in a bathroom, etc...

It's clearly established he reeked of the previous nights binge, and as soon as he was caught, he acted pretty swiftly to mitigate the damage. It likely worked. He dogged on there, IMO.

No breath test or blood drawn = impossible to determine BAC

Observation by police officer (NOT TSA) resulted in no indications of intoxication

called in sick before he touched the plane

the above will result in many more years of LUV

 

[Dude]

ultrarunner,

What was clear? The fact that NO charges were filed, he was observed to NOT appear to be intoxicated, that he was NOT arrested? Some tool decided to be a hero and jeapordized this dude's career and embarrassed him for nothing. If the pilot was drunk at ALL, he would have been arrested, charged, fired, but not allowed to return to the hotel on his own. This isn't the first time someone has made a false accusation. Charges and a lawsuit should be brought against everyone involved......if it is a crap accusation; which is what it looks like.

 

[Pervis]

Just curious. SWA does have an in house HIMS program, correct? I was wondering if there was guidance that would lead someone into a mandatory evaluation in situations like this. Along the lines of freind/family/collegue interventions?

As I have no more knowledge about this case as anyone else here, I don't know if that would apply. However, sometimes wakeup calls like this are gift. Not only does this program save careers, but more importantly, it saves lives and families.

 

[Lequip]

Rebek K. sure knows how to pick em. Way go to SWA. Leno & Letterman appreciate it.

 

[LarryinTN]

One tequlila, two tequila, three tequila, FLOOR!

My experience has always been that one drink is just right, two drinks is too much, and three drinks is not enough!

 

[satpak77]

Rebek K. sure knows how to pick em. Way go to SWA. Leno & Letterman appreciate it.

I commend SWA for hiring guys who are fun on the road and smart enough to not fly when they shouldn't.

This guy called in sick, which is proper and the correct thing to do.

Indeed, way to go SWA.

 

[navigatro]

ultrarunner,

What was clear? The fact that NO charges were filed, he was observed to NOT appear to be intoxicated, that he was NOT arrested? Some tool decided to be a hero and jeapordized this dude's career and embarrassed him for nothing. If the pilot was drunk at ALL, he would have been arrested, charged, fired, but not allowed to return to the hotel on his own. This isn't the first time someone has made a false accusation. Charges and a lawsuit should be brought against everyone involved......if it is a crap accusation; which is what it looks like.

Both of the witnesses and the police officer smelled the odor of alcoholic beverages on the captain's breath.

Therefore, it is not a baseless allegation.

Therefore, no charges or lawsuit against any witnesses.

It is no different than if you are driving at night, and see a car weaving all over the road. You call the police. The police stop the driver, and it turns out he is tired or sick, not drunk. Police let driver go, end of story.

PS if you show up at the gate in uniform, and you smell like booze, what would any reasonable person do?

 

[skiandsurf]

You gotta love SWA and Herb Kelleher.

The 1, 2, 3 rule ( $1 drafts, $2 cocktails, $3 hors deurves).

Then when you call in sick (maybe even drunk), the chief pilots tell you to go back the hotel and get better.

I am not promoting drinking to get drunk, but I think this pilot did a great job in saving his career. This guy didnt argue with anyone. But quietly called in sick, and now he is not at work.

Very smart....well lucky, pilot.

 

[bubbers44]

To be fired for being over the limit you need proof. Some passenger saying you smelled of alcohol is not proof. Non drinkers can smell old alcohol the day after drinking on a person with 0% blood alcohol. This pilot is fine. If they tested him he probably was 0%. The story about him turning red and running to the bathroom was probably a fabrication to substantiate his story. The pilot was probably concerned because he had been drinking as most pilots do on trips but felt he had used acceptable rest to be legal to fly. When was the last time you drank before the day you flew and knew for sure you were at 0% the next day? The only random drug/alcohol test I had was at noon arriving after a few cocktails the night before on the layover. It came out 0% but that was the first time so didn't know what to expect. The charts make you look good after a normal 8 hr sleep but how does your metabolism affect that?

 

[Ty Webb]

If you allow 1.5 hours for each beer, you should be fine. The normal rate to metabolize a beer, shot, or glass of wine is a little over an hour for most people. Ty "one on"

 

[800Dog]

On another subject, does LUV have any sort of uniform standards? Had a Luv pilot onboard today who was wearing swat team style boots that looked like s***! Sure they were comfortable but, totally unprofessional. We do ourselves such a disservice some times. Best of luck to the guy in question.

 

[Ratherbsurfing]

I commend SWA for hiring guys who are fun on the road and smart enough to not fly when they shouldn't.

This guy called in sick, which is proper and the correct thing to do.

Indeed, way to go SWA.

The only reason this guy called in sick and didn't operate the flight was because he was called out for smelling like alcohol by passengers. I guess I fail to see anything commendable in that.

 

[skiandsurf]

The only reason this guy called in sick and didn't operate the flight was because he was called out for smelling like alcohol by passengers. I guess I fail to see anything commendable in that.

Lets say that I walk out of a bar and head to my car. You see me stumble and say "are you drunk?". I then go call a taxi to take me home. Did I do the right thing?


But the key thing with this pilot, is he did not test drunk. Someone said he smelled of alcohol....but he had called in sick before anyone got to him. He was told by his CP to go back to the hotel and get better.

All you guys want to do is argue with everyone...TSA, passengers, etc. Take a lesson from this guy....walk away and call in sick.