Delta pilot allegedly shows up drunk for flight from Scotland to NYC before being arrested
https://nypost.com/2023/06/19/delta-pil ... nd-to-nyc/
A veteran Delta pilot allegedly showed up drunk for a flight from Scotland to New York City – and was arrested after passengers were already onboard.
Flight DL209 was canceled at the last minute Friday when the unnamed 61-year-old pilot was arrested at Edinburgh Airport, the Herald Scotsman reported.
The pilot was charged under the UK’s Railways and Transport Safety Act of 2003, which imposes limits on alcohol consumption for crew members.
The legal blood-alcohol limit for airline staff is 20 milligrams of alcohol in 100 milliliters of blood. For drivers in Scotland, it is 50 milligrams of alcohol in 100 milliliters of blood.
“Delta confirms that one of its crew was taken into custody [Friday] morning at EDI Airport,” an airline spokesperson told media in a statement.
“Delta is assisting the authorities with their on-going inquiries. Delta’s EDI-JFK flight (June 16) has been canceled, and customers are being re-accommodated. We apologize to customers impacted by this cancellation,” the rep added.
In a statement to Insider, Delta said the company’s “alcohol policy is among the strictest in the industry and we have no tolerance for violation.”
The pilot was scheduled to appear Monday at the Edinburgh Sheriff Court, according to the Herald Scotsman.
The Post has reached out to Delta for comment.
PP
Delta Pilot Arrested at Edinburgh , Alcohol Involved
Re: Delta Pilot Arrested at Edinburgh , Alcohol Involved
Headline from BNONews:
Delta Air Lines pilot arrested for drinking too much alcohol before flight
https://bnonews.com/index.php/2023/06/d ... re-flight/
After reading the article I was unable to determine how much was:
A) Too little
B) Just enough
C) Too much
PP
Delta Air Lines pilot arrested for drinking too much alcohol before flight
https://bnonews.com/index.php/2023/06/d ... re-flight/
After reading the article I was unable to determine how much was:
A) Too little
B) Just enough
C) Too much
PP
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CharlieOneSix
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Re: Delta Pilot Arrested at Edinburgh , Alcohol Involved
PHXPhlyer - this might help a little:A police spokesperson confirmed the pilot was arrested in connection with the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003, which sets the legal limit for a pilot’s blood alcohol level at 0.02, compared to 0.08 for driving.
The Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 states that the limit for professional pilots is 20 mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood.
The alcohol limit for driving in England is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.
The alcohol limit for driving in Scotland - where I live - was reduced a while back from 80mg and is 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, but the 2003 Act limit for professional pilots in Scotland remains at the English figure of 20 mg per 100ml of blood.
Whereas I might have had one pint of beer and driven before the limits were reduced in Scotland, with the 50mg limit there is no way I ever have a drink and drive nowadays. Probably a pint of beer would be a borderline pass/fail if breathalysed. Just not worth it.
The helicopter pilots' mantra: If it hasn't gone wrong then it's just about to...
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Re: Delta Pilot Arrested at Edinburgh , Alcohol Involved
C16:
My post was more a comment on the BNONews headline...Too much alcohol.
The limits are pretty much the same here...<.02-.039 removal from work. Greater than .04 violation.
https://www.faa.gov/pilots/safety/pilot ... lcohol.pdf
PP
My post was more a comment on the BNONews headline...Too much alcohol.
The limits are pretty much the same here...<.02-.039 removal from work. Greater than .04 violation.
https://www.faa.gov/pilots/safety/pilot ... lcohol.pdf
PP
Re: Delta Pilot Arrested at Edinburgh , Alcohol Involved
Was he/she 'drunk' or merely over the strict limit for aviation?Delta pilot allegedly shows up drunk
If the latter, does that merit the use of the term 'drunk'? (a neutral question).
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CharlieOneSix
- Chief Pilot
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- Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 12:58 pm
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- Age: 79
Re: Delta Pilot Arrested at Edinburgh , Alcohol Involved
The wheels of justice grind slowly......
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland- ... e-68481282The pilot was remanded in custody at Edinburgh Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to reporting for duty as a pilot while being impaired through drink or drugs. Sheriff Alison Stirling deferred sentence to later this month for the preparation of reports.
The helicopter pilots' mantra: If it hasn't gone wrong then it's just about to...
https://www.glenbervie-weather.org
https://www.glenbervie-weather.org
Re: Delta Pilot Arrested at Edinburgh , Alcohol Involved
Delta pilot found drunk before transatlantic flight sentenced to 10 months prison
https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/20/travel/d ... index.html
A Delta Airlines pilot was sentenced to 10 months in prison for reporting for duty at Scotland’s Edinburgh Airport while drunk, according to a court statement.
The pilot, 63-year-old American citizen Lawrence Russell Jr., was due to captain a flight from Edinburgh to New York’s JFK airport on the morning of June 16, 2023, but his blood alcohol test exceeded the legal limit. He had two bottles of Jägermeister liqueur in his bag when he came to work, one of which was half full, the court said Tuesday.
The transatlantic flight had to be canceled and Russell lost his job at Delta, according to the court statement from the Judiciary of Scotland.
A Delta spokesperson said: “Delta was aware of this incident and removed the pilot from service while conducting a thorough investigation in coordination with Scottish authorities.” At the time, Delta also apologized to the travelers affected.
In the court sentencing, Sheriff (Judge) Alison Stirling told Russell: “Your bag was found to contain two bottles of Jägermeister, one of which was open and was just under half full. Because you were wearing a pilot’s uniform, police were contacted. Officers arrived shortly thereafter. You gave your details to the police, and told them you were a captain with Delta Airlines.”
When asked about the open bottle, the pilot said he had been drinking the night before, but he failed a breath test the morning he came to work. He was arrested and later gave a blood sample, which also exceeded the limit.
The legal limit in Scotland is 20 milligrams to pilot a plane, while the limit for driving a car is 50 milligrams, according to the court. In the United States, the limit for a pilot is 0.04 blood alcohol concentration. US federal regulations prohibit anyone from acting as a crewmember on a civil flight within eight hours of consuming alcohol or while under the influence of alcohol.
The court said Russell was a recovering alcoholic who successfully completed a treatment program after the incident, and he is now in remission.
He had two previous instances of driving under the influence, according to the court, which also noted he had no previous convictions in Britain.
The Boeing-767 captain pled guilty to charges “at the earliest opportunity” on March 5, which played a role in reducing his sentence from 15 months to 10 months, the court said.
The sheriff added that the prison sentence was appropriate, given the “serious nature” of the offense, saying: “Your offence showed a high level of culpability and a high potential for serious harm to have been done.”
The court statement said Russell’s own account of the incident showed he was “remorseful for the inconvenience” the flight cancellation caused to his employer and the passengers.
Russell’s defense attorney, Pamela Rodgers, told CNN she could not offer further comment on the sentencing due to confidentiality.
PP
https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/20/travel/d ... index.html
A Delta Airlines pilot was sentenced to 10 months in prison for reporting for duty at Scotland’s Edinburgh Airport while drunk, according to a court statement.
The pilot, 63-year-old American citizen Lawrence Russell Jr., was due to captain a flight from Edinburgh to New York’s JFK airport on the morning of June 16, 2023, but his blood alcohol test exceeded the legal limit. He had two bottles of Jägermeister liqueur in his bag when he came to work, one of which was half full, the court said Tuesday.
The transatlantic flight had to be canceled and Russell lost his job at Delta, according to the court statement from the Judiciary of Scotland.
A Delta spokesperson said: “Delta was aware of this incident and removed the pilot from service while conducting a thorough investigation in coordination with Scottish authorities.” At the time, Delta also apologized to the travelers affected.
In the court sentencing, Sheriff (Judge) Alison Stirling told Russell: “Your bag was found to contain two bottles of Jägermeister, one of which was open and was just under half full. Because you were wearing a pilot’s uniform, police were contacted. Officers arrived shortly thereafter. You gave your details to the police, and told them you were a captain with Delta Airlines.”
When asked about the open bottle, the pilot said he had been drinking the night before, but he failed a breath test the morning he came to work. He was arrested and later gave a blood sample, which also exceeded the limit.
The legal limit in Scotland is 20 milligrams to pilot a plane, while the limit for driving a car is 50 milligrams, according to the court. In the United States, the limit for a pilot is 0.04 blood alcohol concentration. US federal regulations prohibit anyone from acting as a crewmember on a civil flight within eight hours of consuming alcohol or while under the influence of alcohol.
The court said Russell was a recovering alcoholic who successfully completed a treatment program after the incident, and he is now in remission.
He had two previous instances of driving under the influence, according to the court, which also noted he had no previous convictions in Britain.
The Boeing-767 captain pled guilty to charges “at the earliest opportunity” on March 5, which played a role in reducing his sentence from 15 months to 10 months, the court said.
The sheriff added that the prison sentence was appropriate, given the “serious nature” of the offense, saying: “Your offence showed a high level of culpability and a high potential for serious harm to have been done.”
The court statement said Russell’s own account of the incident showed he was “remorseful for the inconvenience” the flight cancellation caused to his employer and the passengers.
Russell’s defense attorney, Pamela Rodgers, told CNN she could not offer further comment on the sentencing due to confidentiality.
PP
Re: Delta Pilot Arrested at Edinburgh , Alcohol Involved
A little more detailed article here:
Delta pilot gets 10 months in jail for drinking before flight from Scotland to N.Y.
Lawrence Barbiers Russell Jr, 63, was arrested in June 2023 after he showed up to Edinburgh Airport with two bottles of Jägermeister and failed a breath test.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/de ... rcna144214
An American Delta Airlines pilot has been sentenced to 10 months in jail in Scotland after reporting for work intoxicated when he was scheduled to fly to New York last year.
Lawrence Barbiers Russell Jr, 63, was supposed to captain a flight from Edinburgh, Scotland, to New York City on June, 16, 2023, but he was arrested after a half-empty bottle of Jägermeister was found in his bag, and his blood alcohol content exceeded the legal limit, the court said in a statement Tuesday.
Russell, of Georgia, was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty on March 5 in Edinburgh Sheriff Court to a charge of reporting for duty as pilot while exceeding the prescribed blood alcohol limit.
His blood alcohol reading that day was found to be at least 49 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood — which exceeds Scotland’s prescribed limit for pilots of 20 milligrams. The court noted the limit for car drivers is 50 milligrams.
The day of that 2023 flight, Russell’s flight was scheduled to depart at 10:35 a.m. He arrived at Edinburgh Airport's baggage control at 9:15 a.m. wearing his pilot’s uniform.
As he went through security, his bag was manually searched due “to the volume of liquids within it.”
"Your bag was found to contain two bottles of Jägermeister, one of which was open and was just under half full. Because you were wearing a pilot’s uniform, police were contacted," Court Sheriff Alison Stirling wrote in a statement.
Russell told police he had drank the night prior. He failed a breath test and was reportedly "upset" after failing.
At 10:12 a.m. he was arrested and taken to the Livingston Police Office, where he agreed to give a blood sample, resulting in his blood alcohol content reading.
In the U.S. the Federal Aviation Administration has rules that pilots and crew members may not consume alcohol within eight hours of flying and cannot have a blood alcohol content level exceeding .04 percent when reporting for duty.
“Later on that day you were cautioned and charged. You indicated that you understood the caution and charge and responded 'I’m terrified,'” Stirling wrote.
The statement said that Russell had no previous British convictions but had two previous driving under the influence instances on record.
He lost his job as a result of the June 2023 incident. The flight from Edinburgh to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York was ultimately canceled. Stirling noted that Russell was “remorseful” for his actions and the impacts to the company and passengers.
Russell was diagnosed with severe alcohol use disorder and is now in remission after completing the Talbott Recovery Skyline program, a recovery program for pilots, Stirling wrote.
The arrest also put a strain on his marriage of 35 years, but his wife and two sons have been “supportive” of him, the statement said.
“Your offence showed a high level of culpability, and a high potential for serious harm to have been done. In particular you were to be the captain on that flight, you had a half full bottle of Jägermeister with you, and the flight had to be canceled," Stirling wrote.
Once his sentence is completed, he'll have to apply for a new aviation medical certificate. If granted, he can be re-instated to his former position.
Delta said it was "aware of this incident" and the pilot was "removed" from service "while conducting a thorough investigation in coordination with Scottish authorities."
PP
Delta pilot gets 10 months in jail for drinking before flight from Scotland to N.Y.
Lawrence Barbiers Russell Jr, 63, was arrested in June 2023 after he showed up to Edinburgh Airport with two bottles of Jägermeister and failed a breath test.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/de ... rcna144214
An American Delta Airlines pilot has been sentenced to 10 months in jail in Scotland after reporting for work intoxicated when he was scheduled to fly to New York last year.
Lawrence Barbiers Russell Jr, 63, was supposed to captain a flight from Edinburgh, Scotland, to New York City on June, 16, 2023, but he was arrested after a half-empty bottle of Jägermeister was found in his bag, and his blood alcohol content exceeded the legal limit, the court said in a statement Tuesday.
Russell, of Georgia, was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty on March 5 in Edinburgh Sheriff Court to a charge of reporting for duty as pilot while exceeding the prescribed blood alcohol limit.
His blood alcohol reading that day was found to be at least 49 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood — which exceeds Scotland’s prescribed limit for pilots of 20 milligrams. The court noted the limit for car drivers is 50 milligrams.
The day of that 2023 flight, Russell’s flight was scheduled to depart at 10:35 a.m. He arrived at Edinburgh Airport's baggage control at 9:15 a.m. wearing his pilot’s uniform.
As he went through security, his bag was manually searched due “to the volume of liquids within it.”
"Your bag was found to contain two bottles of Jägermeister, one of which was open and was just under half full. Because you were wearing a pilot’s uniform, police were contacted," Court Sheriff Alison Stirling wrote in a statement.
Russell told police he had drank the night prior. He failed a breath test and was reportedly "upset" after failing.
At 10:12 a.m. he was arrested and taken to the Livingston Police Office, where he agreed to give a blood sample, resulting in his blood alcohol content reading.
In the U.S. the Federal Aviation Administration has rules that pilots and crew members may not consume alcohol within eight hours of flying and cannot have a blood alcohol content level exceeding .04 percent when reporting for duty.
“Later on that day you were cautioned and charged. You indicated that you understood the caution and charge and responded 'I’m terrified,'” Stirling wrote.
The statement said that Russell had no previous British convictions but had two previous driving under the influence instances on record.
He lost his job as a result of the June 2023 incident. The flight from Edinburgh to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York was ultimately canceled. Stirling noted that Russell was “remorseful” for his actions and the impacts to the company and passengers.
Russell was diagnosed with severe alcohol use disorder and is now in remission after completing the Talbott Recovery Skyline program, a recovery program for pilots, Stirling wrote.
The arrest also put a strain on his marriage of 35 years, but his wife and two sons have been “supportive” of him, the statement said.
“Your offence showed a high level of culpability, and a high potential for serious harm to have been done. In particular you were to be the captain on that flight, you had a half full bottle of Jägermeister with you, and the flight had to be canceled," Stirling wrote.
Once his sentence is completed, he'll have to apply for a new aviation medical certificate. If granted, he can be re-instated to his former position.
Delta said it was "aware of this incident" and the pilot was "removed" from service "while conducting a thorough investigation in coordination with Scottish authorities."
PP