A long-serving flight attendant has resigned from her position after an extraordinary incident in which she drank multiple mini bottles of vodka during a transatlantic flight to London, leaving her with a blood alcohol level more than ten times the legal limit for cabin crew.
The In-Flight Incident
The event unfolded on an overnight United Airlines flight from San Francisco to London Heathrow on October 17. The attendant, Margit Lake, who was 56 years old, confessed to having secretly brought the alcohol on board. She stated her intention was to ‘calm her nerves’ while she performed her duties looking after passengers.
By the time the Boeing 777 jet touched down at Heathrow's Terminal 2, the consequences of her actions became clear. Paramedics who boarded the aircraft found Lake smelling strongly of alcohol and exhibiting low blood pressure. Subsequent tests revealed her blood alcohol concentration was a staggering 216 milligrams per 100 millilitres.
The Legal and Professional Consequences
This reading was dramatically over the legal limit of 26 milligrams per 100 millilitres permitted for cabin crew members while on duty. Despite the severity of the intoxication, the court heard that her condition did not ultimately disrupt the flight's operation. This fact spared her a potential two-year prison sentence.
Instead, Lake was handed a £1,461 fine, and was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £584 plus £85 in legal costs. Days after the flight, having served United Airlines for 26 years, she resigned from her post.
A Wider Problem in Aviation
This case highlights the ongoing issue of intoxication in the skies, a significant concern for carriers. The effects of alcohol are known to be intensified at high altitude, posing serious risks to safety and security.
The problem is not confined to passengers. In a separate incident, a British Airways captain was suspended in May after being reported for behaving aggressively and appearing ‘as if very drunk’ while travelling off-duty in the cabin, just hours before she was scheduled to pilot another flight.
Airlines are taking a firmer stance. Ryanair, for instance, announced this summer a minimum £500 fine for passengers whose drunken or aggressive behaviour causes disruption. Its CEO, Michael O’Leary, has publicly supported the idea of a ‘two drink’ limit within airports to curb the issue before it reaches the aircraft.
