Once the pilot showed up reeking of booze, things got weird, really weird, and it was only a matter of time before stuff got out of hand…
A JetBlue pilot was kicked off a plane just a few minutes before takeoff due to the fact that he failed a breathalyzer test. James Clifton, 52, of Orlando, Florida was tested, and authorities discovered that he was four times over the legal limit for pilots, which is 0.04 BAC. He was geared up and ready to fly the plane out of Buffalo, but there was one small problem: he had evidently spent too much time in the airport bar downing cocktails and he blew a 0.17 BAC, and that is more than twice the legal limit for those driving a car.
Clifton was going through security, and that was the first time when TSA agents noticed that he was visibly tipsy. After an investigation where Clifton had initially told the police that he had initially drank six drinks prior to the flight but had not drank anything on the day of the flight. However, he later changed his story, saying that he had consumed eight drinks the night before he was supposed to fly across the United States.
They soon determined that Clifton was lying because a police officer overheard him bragging on the phone about how he had consumed “ten 22-ounce tallboys and left the restaurant around midnight” even though the flight from Buffalo was supposed to depart at 6:15 a.m. This means that the man had only six hours to sober up before he was responsible for all of the lives of his passengers and his crew.
Fortunately, the police were able to test the pilot before he attempted to perform his duties and they pulled him out of the JetBlue flight at Buffalo Niagara International Airport before he was able to take off.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, pilots and other crew members are forbidden from consuming alcohol within eight hours before their shift.
After Mr. Clifton blew a 0.17 on the breathalyzer, he was not only taken off the plane but handed over to federal custody.
JetBlue has taken swift action against this Florida pilot, firing him from his post. The airline issued a statement to the New York Post:
“The safety of JetBlue’s customers and crewmembers is our first priority. We adhere to all [Department of Transportation] rules and requirements concerning alcohol at all times and have a very strict zero-tolerance internal alcohol policy.”
There is no question that this was a big deal, and JetBlue is continuing to work with local law enforcement and they are conducting an internal investigation into Clifton’s awful behavior.
“The FAA is investigating allegations that an airline pilot attempted to report for duty while under the influence of alcohol. The agency takes these matters seriously.”
If these authorities hadn’t been able to stop this pilot, there is no telling who could have gotten hurt.