Drunken Pilot Causes Flight Cancellation and Stranded Passengers

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Over a hundred TAP Air Portugal passengers find themselves stranded in Stuttgart, Germany as their flight was cancelled last-minute due to a druken pilot. The pilot was observed by an airline employee on the ground as “walking unsteadily and smelling of alcohol”, which led into the investigation and cancellation.

The cancellation resulting in the passengers having to spend a night in Stuttgart, which the airline reimbursed everyone for. There’s no news on whether this pilot has been fired from TAP Air Portugal, however considering United Flight Attendants were Fired for Watching iPad Videos, I would be shocked if he wasn’t. Luckily he was stopped before flying, however you have to wonder if he flown other flights in the past under the influence of alcohol.

a plane in the sky

Per CNBC,

A Portuguese airline has apologized for keeping more than 100 passengers stranded at Stuttgart airport in southwestern Germany after one of its flights was canceled last-minute because of a drunken co-pilot.

Shortly before the TAP Air Portugal flight was to takeoff to Lisbon on Friday night, an airport employee noticed the co-pilot walking unsteadily and smelling of alcohol. He notified airport authorities, which decided to keep the plane on the ground. It wasn’t immediately clear if the 40-year-old co-pilot was detained.

The German news agency dpa reported Saturday that all 106 passengers were put up at hotels overnight. TAP tweeted Saturday that the passengers would only be able to fly to Lisbon on Monday, “which is, at the moment, the first day with seats available.”

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