Dave Fitzgerald

I do have to point out that if you are actually dumb enough to answer your phone on a layover, and the crew desk tries to reassign you to an earlier flight...."sorry, I was planning on the layover time and had a beer."

I've used that, it works. (Not the it's dumb to answer your phone part!)

jsled

Mostly. Like a few months ago, I got the No Fly 90* (trademark pending). That's 2 weeks vaca coupled with a bunch of unused short calls. 90 hours pay. No flying. Works out well, especially when that vaca visa bill comes in the next month.

Truthanator

Our society is obsessed with alcohol and idiot television. The crew peer pressure to drink or party on overnights is juvenile HS bs.
Have a couple beers and go to bed. So many Professional morons out there.

clubord

Exactly...CL is a great, stand up guy.

Something is fishy with this entire situation. I'm eager to hear the whole story and have a feeling there's another side to this we aren't aware about.

awax

Yep, I suggested that abstinence from alcohol while on a layover would eliminate 99% of the risk of a related offense. Based on several responses you'd think I was trying to rob their civil rights.

Physiological dependency or social habit/behavioral muscle memory, it really makes no difference, the negative result can be the same at the security line. The unfortunate reality with alcoholics is that they'll rarely admit they have a problem. Everyone knows the rules, if you're going to shank a career - please be senior to me!

I realize how condescending that sounds, but also realize how easy it is to prevent an alcohol related offense. I'm not a total a-hole though, I advocate for a little tough love on the crew van to prevent a bad day at security. Fit for duty starts when you leave the hotel, or at the very least step out of the van at the airport. I'm hoping we all have each other's back.

That's all I have until the next time a crew steps on it.

pilotgolfer

I won't disagree with the points you made. If you want to be 100% sure you are fit, by all means, do your drinking on your days off. I'm just curious how this van ride went. I've never been to Glasgow so I don't know if the van puts you in close quarters to your buddies, but from my experience, if one of my fellow crew members was inebriated...I think I would be aware of it. At least in the case where it was cut and dry. If we are talking about being on the .02 borderline, I'm not sure he average joe would be able to pick that out.

I'm wondering if something else happened that people aren't talking about.

awax

I dunno, recognizing .02 is uncharted territory for most of us and I agree that i'd be tough to recognize that level yourself or on others.

There've been hints in this thread that the hotel or bar ratted these guys out to the police. Who knows? Until there's more clarity on what we're facing I think special "Glasgow" rules might be prudent. In fact anyone who's flown into LHR knows what a pain security is, maybe the EU airports are trying to one up each other.

Be careful out there.

SpecialTracking

Thanks for looking out for your crew and having their backs.

captjns

Well at the end of the day, the results will tell display the facts. If the results come back negative I hope they receive an apology from the Glassgow Gang, UAL, as well as the Chief PIlot.

Not casting blame of these two, but it's a shame, especially whilst on probation, extra care and discipline is not exercised by all.

krudawg

I was kind of wondering the same thing. I notice that the Van driver in LHR always goes into the security room - most times ahead of us. Could he signal security. I mean, he hears the pilots talk about what they did after all , on their layover including most times about where they had a beer. Maybe not? But it is kind of strange how our guys get busted especially the ones with very low readings that would be legal over in the states. I recommend any conversation about bar hopping or whatever not be done whilst in the van.