UAL Pilots get TSA'ed in MIA

[FN FAL]

United Pilot Removed from Flight Duty in Miama...alleged alcohol smell

MIAMI Police say a United Airlines pilot was removed from the cockpit and questioned by police today after security screeners at Miami International Airport reported smelling alcohol.

The pilot was not arrested and no breath test was done. But United has suspended the pilot pending an internal investigation.

The Federal Aviation Administration is also investigating.

An F-A-A spokeswoman says the pilot was boarding a flight to Washington D-C when Transportation Security Administration screeners thought they smelled alcohol and alerted police.

A Miami-Dade police detective says "the officer noticed what appeared to be an odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the pilot and requested that he exit the aircraft."

:beer:

 

[PolarTwins55]

after security screeners at Miami International Airport reported smelling alcohol.

another job well done by the tsa. i feel a lot safer now that one more drunken pilot is off the streets. err airways.

 

[CA1900]

I hope that's flamebait, PolarTwins.

A good friend of mine had the same thing happen to him -- TSA reported it, the police were called, he was escorted away by them to the airport police station. He did three breathalyzer tests in a row -- blew 0.00 all three times.

Don't assume for a second that the wand-monkey's instincts are correct here. The fact that no alcohol test was done suggests very strongly to me that they aren't.

 

[Flechas]

Some people just don't have a good sense of humor...

 

[Way2Broke]

Why was he not given a breathalizer?

 

[banned username 1]

A Miami-Dade police detective says "the officer noticed what appeared to be an odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the pilot and requested that he exit the aircraft."


Or had he just swabbed down the cockpit with a sani-comm wipe?

It never ceases.

 

[PolarTwins55]

I hope that's flamebait, PolarTwins.

plllllllllease tell me you're not serious? did somebody blow a funny fuse?

 

[Thedude]

Assuming the United guy is found completely innocent...is/are there any legal reprecussion for the wand monkey? and if not why not?

 

[PolarTwins55]

a better question is why do these idiots have that much authority?

 

[FN FAL]

Why was he not given a breathalizer?

With such an early news article, it's always open to speculation as to what really happened.

Can the pilot refuse?

 

[CA1900]

plllllllllease tell me you're not serious? did somebody blow a funny fuse?

Very obviously. :laugh:

I just get so frustrated with these morons at the checkpoints, I guess my sense of humor wore off with my last beer. :beer: There, that's better.

 

[Uncle Leo]

Just heard on the evening news that 2 united pilots got detained by the TSA in MIA for the smell of alcohol....I hope its not true...

 

[NoPax]

Silly question: Was he the flightcrew, or jumpseater (in uniform)???

 

[Huggyu2]

What would happen if I walked through security, got wanded, and then notified the TSA supervisor that I smelled alcohol on the breath of their security screener? Oh,... and I would definitely call the local TV station and tell them, too.

 

[Captain Overs]

Source?

 

[TexaSWA]

Source?

I think he said the "evening news".

 

[Alin10123]

I hope that's flamebait, PolarTwins.

A good friend of mine had the same thing happen to him -- TSA reported it, the police were called, he was escorted away by them to the airport police station. He did three breathalyzer tests in a row -- blew 0.00 all three times.

Don't assume for a second that the wand-monkey's instincts are correct here. The fact that no alcohol test was done suggests very strongly to me that they aren't.

That's possible too. Sometimes cologne or aftershave contains quiet large amounts of alcohol in them. They can sometimes be mistaken for having drinks.

So uh... the first post said that the airline has a "pending" investigation. What are they going to investigate? They didn't ask him to take a breathalyzer. It's not like there's any other way to find out if he drank. lol

 

[350DRIVER]

The pilot was removed from the cockpit and was suspended by UAL pending an internal investigation. He was not arrested and no breath test was done, it was FLT 1404 DC bound. 6+40 on the delay after all was said and done. TSA alerted police and all here we are.....

ONE pilot, not "two".

 

[350DRIVER]

Silly question: Was he the flightcrew, or jumpseater (in uniform)???

He was to "work" the flight into DC so I think it is a safe assumption to make that he was indeed in uniform unless he decided not to wear it for the flight which would be against UAL policy.

It's not like there's any other way to find out if he drank.

Bar receipts, time on tab/receipts(s), video surveillance, etc, (if applicable) jussss a wild guess though.

 

[ackattacker]

a better question is why do these idiots have that much authority?

Anybody has the authority to report... the police have the authority to arrest/detain. And that's aparrently what happened. Could have been a passenger, with the same result.

But I can't understand why they're reporting no breathalyzer was done... we'll just have to wait. Speculation this early is pointless.