AMSTERDAM Delta Air Lines (DL) faced a serious security incident shortly before a long-haul international flight from Amsterdam (AMS) to New York (JFK) on Friday morning (November 29, 2024) involving two flight attendants who failed the alcohol test their immediate arrest and suspension.

The two crew members – a man and a woman – were found to be drunk during their Thanksgiving stay in Amsterdam, dramatically endangering the potential safety of hundreds of passengers.

Delta flight attendants drunk

Dutch police conducted alcohol tests which revealed significant levels of alcohol consumption, well above the legal limits for airline crew.

The flight attendant tested the legal alcohol limit for flight crews seven times, resulting in a significant fine of €1,900 (approximately $2,000). Her male colleague was fined €275 for failing the alcohol test by almost 0.02 points, highlighting the strictness of alcohol consumption regulations in aviation.

Delta Air Lines responded quickly to the incident, suspending both flight attendants and indicating possible termination proceedings. PYOK reported.

Significantly exceeding the values

Delta flight DL49 demonstrated its operational resilience by departing Amsterdam Schiphol just 20 minutes late and ultimately arriving in New York ahead of schedule, despite two flight attendants being relieved of duty at the last minute.

The incident occurred during a comprehensive joint law enforcement operation at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, where local and national police conducted alcohol tests on 445 pilots and flight attendants within a three-hour window on Friday morning.

The female Delta flight attendant’s blood alcohol level was 1.43 grams per liter, well above the aviation limit of 0.2 grams per liter. Her male colleague registered 0.24, which further underlines the considerable alcohol consumption before the scheduled flight.

European aviation regulations impose strict limits on alcohol consumption for airline crew. The Netherlands specifically prohibits pilots and flight attendants from consuming alcohol within 10 hours of a flight. However, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) points out that simply adhering to a bottle-to-gas time limit does not guarantee compliance with legal blood alcohol concentration limits.

Since February 2021, European countries have been required to carry out random alcohol tests for airline crew. Foreign aviation personnel are subject to these tests as part of the SAFA (Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft) inspection program, which reflects a comprehensive approach to ensuring international aviation safety standards.

Similar incidents

A veteran Delta Air Lines pilot has been sentenced to 10 months in prison in the United Kingdom after pleading guilty to reporting for duty under the influence of alcohol in March 2024. The case highlights the serious legal consequences of endangering passenger safety through alcohol consumption.

Captain Lawrence Russell, 63, was arrested and convicted in Edinburgh in June 2023 after testing 49 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood – well above the UK’s legal limit of 20 milligrams. Security officers initially became suspicious when they discovered a half-empty bottle of Jägermeister in his carry-on luggage.

Prosecutors described Russell’s conduct as reflecting a “reckless disregard for the safety of his passengers and crew” and highlighted the potentially catastrophic consequences of poisoning the pilot.

The conviction reflects the airline industry’s zero-tolerance approach to alcohol-related safety violations.

The incident at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol further highlighted the ongoing challenges of alcohol consumption among airline crew.

During a comprehensive sample, a third crew member of an unnamed airline was found to have exceeded the blood alcohol limit, with a flight attendant registering 1.30 grams per liter of blood and was subsequently fined 1,800 euros.

Feature image by Clément Alloing | Flickr

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