America West pilot settled USD122 bar tab before scheduled flight - claim

Airline Industry Information, July 23, 2002

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

It has been reported that one of the two America West pilots arrested for being legally drunk while operating an aircraft settled a USD122 bar tab about six hours before the scheduled flight.

The two pilots - who were due to fly 124 passengers from Miami International Airport to Phoenix on 1 July 2002 - were preparing to take off when they were ordered to return to the airport terminal. Security screeners at the airport had noticed a smell of alcohol on the pilots when they attempted to bring cups of coffee through the checkpoint. The screeners alerted airport officials, who then contacted the police. The pilots agreed to take a breath test and both registered blood-alcohol levels above Florida's legal limit for operating machinery (0.08).

According to reports in two newspapers, The Arizona Republic and The Miami Herald, the co-pilot paid the USD122 bar tab with a credit card. A receipt from Mr. Moe's in Miami reveals that he had bought seven 34-ounce beers, seven 16-ounce beers, a Happy Hour draft beer, one martini and a Western Burger between about 2249 and 0422 local time.

The receipt is part of the court record in the arraignment against the two pilots, who are pleading innocent to the charges of operating an aircraft under the influence and operating a motor vehicle under the influence, reported The Associated Press.

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