An Emirates pilot has been stood down after refusing an alcohol and drug test less than an hour before he was due to captain a flight from Perth to Dubai.
The incident forced the flight to be cancelled and more than 100 passengers were transferred onto a later flight.
According to industry sources, the co-pilot of the 500-seat A380 super jumbo refused to fly with the captain because of concerns about his condition.
The captain then declined to take an alcohol and drug test and the Emirates airport management stood him down and cancelled the flight.
Emirates safety rating
However yesterday Emirates, in response to direct questions about the incident would only say that there was a “medical issue” with one of the crew.
The Emirates statement read:
“Emirates can confirm that flight EK425 from Perth to Dubai on 9 October 2016 was cancelled due to operational reasons arising from a medical issue involving a crew member.
“Passengers were provided hotel accommodation and rebooked on EK421 with a delay of 16 hours.
“Emirates apologises for any inconvenience caused but the safety of our passengers and crew is of utmost importance and will not be compromised.”
Later that day a new crew operated the A380 registered A6-EUF, back to Dubai as flight EK 2669 with no passengers.
Emirates, unlike some airlines, encourages its pilots, no matter how junior, to speak up if they are concerned about issues such as the ability of a fellow crew member to perform their duties.
Airline staff are prohibited from drinking eight hours before a shift and pilots cannot have a blood alcohol content over 0.04.
Testing of pilots for drugs and alcohol is now common place and in August two United Airlines pilots were arrested at Glasgow Airport on suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol as they prepared to fly to operate a flight to Newark, New Jersey.
In July there was an almost identical incident with two Canadian pilots charged with being drunk as they prepared to fly from Glasgow to Toronto.
In the US between 2010 and 2015, more than 60 pilots were charged with alcohol and drug offences at work.
The most famous case was in 1990 when all three Northwest Airlines flight crew were intoxicated when they flew a Boeing 727 from Fargo, North Dakota to Minneapolis.
Authorities received a tip off and arrested the pilots on arrival.
All three served prison sentences.
The West Australian
Emirates pilot grounded after refusing to take alcohol & drug test
