A flight at Dublin Airport was prevented from taking off after a pilot tested significantly over the legal alcohol limit during a surprise inspection.
The incident took place on 17 September 2024, when inspectors from the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) carried out a routine check at Ireland’s busiest airport.
The inspection team boarded a cargo aircraft operated by a foreign airline and requested standard flight documentation and pilot licenses. During the check, they administered a breathalyser test to the flight crew. One pilot failed the test, recording alcohol levels well beyond the permissible limit, making them unfit to fly.
Authorities responded swiftly, ordering that the pilot be removed from duty and that the aircraft remain grounded. The IAA took legal action by referring the case to the Dublin District Court and also notified the US Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA has since revoked the pilot’s licence.
The IAA emphasized that random inspections will continue at all Irish airports, with breath tests being carried out on both pilots and cabin crew to ensure flight safety.
This incident is part of a growing trend of alcohol-related disruptions in aviation. Earlier this year, a Southwest Airlines pilot was arrested in Georgia before a scheduled flight to Chicago. He was found intoxicated in the cockpit. In another case in December, two Japan Airlines pilots were barred from operating a flight to Melbourne after self-administered hotel breath tests revealed they were over the alcohol limit.
In all such cases, flights were delayed or rescheduled, underscoring the critical importance of sobriety among flight crew. The Dublin case serves as a strong reminder of the consequences of failing to meet these standards, including license revocation and legal action.