Suspected drunk pilot halts flight
2013-02-08 18:04
Bucharest - Romanian airline Tarom cancelled a flight to
Bucharest because the pilot was suspected of being drunk before takeoff from
London's Heathrow airport, it said on Friday.
In a story reminiscent of Denzel Washington's portrayal
of flying under the influence of alcohol in the movie Flight,
British authorities refused permission for the pilot to take off in the Airbus
A318 from Heathrow on Wednesday morning.
"We cancelled the flight because one crew member was
not physically fit to operate. His medical incapacity was tracked down in
London during routine checks," the state-owned Romanian carrier Tarom said
in a statement.
"The pilot returned home on Thursday and we
suspended him from activity until the investigation is finalised."
EU member Romania has pledged to sell a range of state
companies under an International Monetary Fund deal, including a 20% stake in
Tarom - which operates 23 planes - by August.
"If official results we receive show he tested
positive for alcohol, we'll immediately fire him," the airline said.
