Two flight attendants were removed from Delta’s flight 49 from Amsterdam to New York JFK on Friday after failing a random breathalyzer test. Since the airline normally operates the flight with more than the legal minimum required complement of cabin crew, they opted to fly as normal while offering more limited service.
The incident was first reported by aviation watchdog JonNYC:
And on the 29th, 2 FAs were pulled off duty from DL49 to JFK
— JonNYC (@xjonnyc.bsky.social) November 29, 2024 at 4:20 PM
Seems like they were breathalyzed and removed from service. Plane went off w/ reduced crew.
— JonNYC (@xjonnyc.bsky.social) November 29, 2024 at 5:38 PM
According to a Delta Air Lines spokesperson,
Delta’s alcohol policy is among the strictest in the industry, and we have zero tolerance for violation. The employees were removed from their scheduled duties and the flight departed as scheduled.
Credit: Delta
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency mandates random alcohol testing for flight and cabin crew operating out of EU member states under regulation 2018/1042. At Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, the Dutch National Police Unit conducts routine and random alcohol checks on flight personnel.
For instance, last month a pilot and a flight attendant from the same flight tested positive for excessive alcohol levels during a random check at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. The pilot’s blood alcohol concentration was more than double the legal limit, resulting in a €2,900 fine and a delayed flight.
Amsterdam Schipol Airport
Flight attendants are subject to random alcohol testing in the U.S. as well, with the FAA mandating that air carriers implement random alcohol testing programs. Notably, though, flight attendants departing from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport are subject to a legal blood alcohol concentration of 0.02% under EASA rules while the legal blood alcohol concentration in the U.S. would have been 0.04%.
Premium.
Only Premium Drunks at Delta
1 word:
TERMINATED!
If you are dumb enough to drink heavily when you know there is the possibility of a breathalyzer test, you deserve to be fired.
Thats why Delta FAs need a union. No union means management can fire at will.
Why won’t my comment post?
I will try it by sentences.
The flight attendants know the rules.
They should have declared themselves out of compliance and deadheaded back to the USA.
Waiting to be caught is not a good strategy.
Blood alcohol concentration testers are available.
“Delta has an average BAC of 0.005 across its entire flight crew, far lower than that of UA or AA”
— Tim Dunn
the last part of the last sentence will not post. Oh well. Must be a glitch.
To hit 0.02 BAC or more usually requires one or two drinks within an hour depending on body weight. A very light woman would only require one drink. A moderate weight man or woman would require two drinks. No heavy drinking is necessary for such a strict standard. Either wait until all of the alcohol is eliminated or test to know what the BAC is. You could hit the standard by eating some foods like the cherries of cherry bounce or crabs pickled in liquor or even watermelon that has had liquor put in it.
time to quadruple mileage redemption @ delta with the increased liability insurance for the delta premium aluminum flying tubes in the air
Reduced service? The other FAs should just work a little faster. If they can’t, how can they do a rapid emergency evacuation?