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.
@Wesley . I take it you work for Delta or another airline?
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.
Wesley, I can think of plenty of reasons for the FAs to have a case for a Union and this is not one of them.
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?
Let’s not pretend that Delta actually cares about passengers because if they did – pretend, because caring is way too much to ask – they would have provided ample compensation to all passengers.
The reality is that we are NOT “all equal.” Some professionals (and others) can and must be held to a higher standard of performance, e.g., FA’s or pilots (among many others). Consequently, the sanctions against them for violations of regulations regarding alcohol ought to be VERY strict, including, possibly, immediate termination. The safety of a plane full of hundreds of people is paramount and ought not to be compromised by misbehaviors of crew, etc.
AMS seems to do these tests of more long-haul crew members than the other airports in the top ten by number of destinations served. Other airports do them too, but AMS just seems to do them more.
I’m having a bad week. Someone hold me.
Premium beverages on the worlds premium airline!
This is quite concerning! It’s alarming to hear about crew members failing a breathalyzer test, especially when safety is paramount in aviation. I understand that staffing issues can be challenging, but passenger safety should always come first. I wonder how the airline plans to address this situation and prevent similar incidents in the future. Transparency in these matters is crucial for maintaining trust with travelers.
NO UNION! The AFA only works for themselves and their bank account. The (any!) company should have the authority to terminate employees who violate company policy and/or federal law. A contract would force the company to keep lousy employees. A contract would stifle the incentive to do a bit more than is required.
Delta Air Lines showcases its premium airline status by staffing flights with additional crew members, unlike ultra-low-cost carriers like Spirit Airlines, which often operate with minimal staffing. This strategy helps prevent flight cancellations due to crew-related issues, reflecting the “safety first” culture ingrained in nearly all Delta employees. Having extra crew members on international flights allows some crew members to consume alcoholic beverages, albeit against company policy and beyond the typical alcohol limit, while still ensuring the safety of valued passengers and timely flight departures. I am pleased that Delta Air Lines has one of its world-class hubs at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW).
Tim Dunn states, “Delta has an average blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.005 across its entire flight crew, which is far lower than that of United Airlines (UA) or American Airlines (AA).” It would be worthwhile to read an article from View From the Wing that details the average blood-alcohol concentration of all flight crews.
Hope it was worth it.
They will be terminated.
No union. No rehab.
Their entire career flushed away.
You cannot fix stupid.
Airlines do not care about passengers safety at all.
United Airlines for example, has allowed a violent flight attendant who rammed a loaded bar cart that weights upwards of 475lbs against another flight attendant weighting less then half her size and 1/4 of the bar cart weight at 100lbs, against, the counter, severely injuring her back.
This happened while she was merely executing her job, all without warning, no confrontation had taken place.
The attacked flight attendant had no warning of what was about to happen. Yet, United Airlines keeps this criminal person, on staff, endangering any and all that unknowingly of her violent behavior, finds themselves locked up with her in a plane, with no where to go in the event she goes off.
Buh-bye!
Regarding the two Delta Air Lines flight attendents, who failed a breathalyzer in Amsterdam but the short-staffed flight still headed to New York, the website article [paddleyourownkanoo] dated November 30, 2024 by Mateusz Maszczynski reports:
“Delta Air Flight Attendant Fined $2,000 After Being Found 7 Times Over The Alcohol Limit Just Minutes Before Boarding An International Flight.
”
Two Delta Air Lines flight attendants who were meant to be working on the same long-haul international flight from Amsterdam to New York JFK failed breathalyzer tests just minutes before they were due to board the plane to look after hundreds of passengers.
The flight attendants, one male and one female, had been enjoying a layover in Amsterdam on Thanksgiving and were due to fly back to New York on Friday morning but instead ended up being arrested and suspended from duty.”
In a statement, the Dutch police service said the female flight attendant had been ordered to pay a fine of €1,900 (US $2,000) after she was found to be seven times over the legal alcohol limit for aircrew.
The male crew member was fined just €275 after he failed the breathalyzer test by just 0.02. Both flight attendants have, however, been suspended from their jobs and face being terminated by Delta Air Lines.
Aviation insider JonNYC on X and Blue Sky identified the flight attendants as Delta employees.”
To win Whitmore: bad managers equal unions on the property