A Southwest Airlines pilot was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly reporting to work while intoxicated, multiple outlets have reported.
How sad. That’s a long time with the same carrier to not to have learned what the rules are.
But there’s no indication that “operating a motor vehicle under the influence” was (yet) involved, so I suspect that “DUI” was just a convenient ex-ante facto charge to hold him on.
Please tell us that this man has been fired and had his certificate revoked. Or will the union protect his job because he promises to attend AA meetings?
To paraphrase a US Senator defending the Defense Secretary nominee, who among us has not gone to work drunk at one time or other.
What’s worse than sad is flushing all your training, experience and seniority behind your career down the crapper by going to work drunk. I know alcoholism is a disease, but at what point does your knowing lives are at stake because of your actions take over?
The difference is drunk congressmen have a much less direct way of killing people. Bu if you will be the secretary of defense…
BTW, the promise of “if I am appointed I will quit drinking” is not only a stupid dodge, it is a very common among ADMITTED alcoholics.
Dan,
That is not the way it works at most airlines. If he asked for employee assistance before he was arrested he would be eligible for the program. It is NOT promise to go to AA and get your job back. If he didn’t ask for help on his own he will probably be fired as he should be.