AMSTERDAM- Delta Air Lines (DL) confronted a serious safety incident involving two flight attendants who failed breathalyzer tests moments before a long-haul international flight from Amsterdam (AMS) to New York (JFK) on Friday morning (November 29, 2024), resulting in their immediate arrest and suspension.
The two crew members—one male and one female—were discovered to be intoxicated during their Thanksgiving layover in Amsterdam, dramatically compromising the potential safety of hundreds of passengers.
Photo: DeltaDelta Flight Attendant Drunk
Dutch police conducted breathalyzer tests that revealed substantial alcohol consumption well above legal limits for aviation personnel.
The female flight attendant tested seven times over the legal alcohol limit for aircrew, resulting in a substantial fine of €1,900 (approximately US $2,000). Her male counterpart was fined €275 after marginally failing the breathalyzer test by 0.02, demonstrating the severity of alcohol consumption regulations in aviation.
Delta Air Lines responded swiftly to the incident, suspending both flight attendants and indicating potential termination proceedings, PYOK reported.
Photo: Delta Air LinesSignificantly Exceeding Levels
Delta flight DL49 demonstrated operational resilience by departing Amsterdam Schiphol with merely a 20-minute delay and ultimately arriving in New York ahead of schedule, despite the last-minute removal of two flight attendants from duty.
The incident occurred during a comprehensive joint law enforcement operation at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, where local and national police conducted breathalyzer tests on 445 pilots and flight attendants within a three-hour window on Friday morning.
The female Delta flight attendant’s blood alcohol level measured 1.43 grams per liter, dramatically exceeding the European aviation regulatory maximum of 0.2 grams per liter. Her male colleague registered 0.24, further underscoring the significant alcohol consumption before the scheduled flight.
European aviation regulations mandate stringent alcohol consumption restrictions for aircrew. The Netherlands specifically prohibits pilots and flight attendants from consuming alcohol within 10 hours of a flight. However, the European Air Safety Agency (EASA) cautions that merely adhering to a “bottle to throttle” time restriction does not guarantee compliance with legal blood alcohol concentration limits.
Since February 2021, European countries have been required to implement random alcohol breath tests for aircrew. Foreign aviation personnel are subject to these tests through the Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA) inspection program, reflecting a comprehensive approach to ensuring international aviation safety standards.
Photo: DeltaSimilar Incidents
A veteran Delta Air Lines pilot was sentenced to 10 months in jail in the United Kingdom after pleading guilty to reporting for duty while alcohol-impaired in March 2024. The case underscores the severe legal consequences of compromising passenger safety through alcohol consumption.
Captain Lawrence Russell, 63, was arrested in June 2023 and sentenced in Edinburgh after testing 49 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood—substantially exceeding the United Kingdom’s 20-milligram legal limit. Security officers initially became suspicious after discovering a half-consumed bottle of Jägermeister in his carry-on luggage.
Prosecutors characterized Russell’s actions as demonstrating a “reckless disregard for the safety of his passengers and crew,” highlighting the potentially catastrophic consequences of pilot intoxication.
The sentencing reflects the aviation industry’s zero-tolerance approach to alcohol-related safety breaches.
The incident at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport further illuminated the persistent challenges of alcohol consumption among aviation personnel.
During a comprehensive spot-check operation, a third crew member from an unnamed airline was found over the alcohol limit, with a female flight attendant registering 1.30 grams per liter of blood, and subsequently fined €1,800.
Feature Image by Clément Alloing | Flickr
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The post Two Delta Flight Attendants Found Drunk at Amsterdam Airport appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
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