They'd Detained A Pilot

Remember those two America West pilots who tried to get on board their flight after a few... several... a lot of drinks (ANN: July 4, 2002 - "Drunk Pilots Fired")? They were nabbed after security screeners smelled alcohol on their breath. But what happens when the screeners try to stop a flight crew member from getting on board while inebriated -- and the crew member isn't drunk?

The screeners get fired, that's what happens.

Fired For Doing Their Jobs?

Three TSA screeners at the Dayton International Airport (OH) say their suspicions about an AirTran Airways pilot they thought had been drinking got them so fired, even though they believed they were following TSA procedures. AirTran lodged a complaint after the pilot was stopped by two screeners and a supervisor on May 3rd. The security officials said they smelled alcohol on the pilot's breath. Guess what? He wasn't drunk. The pilot was given a breathalyzer test while standing in the jetway. He passed. The instrument measured absolutely no alcohol on his breath. The pilot got on board the flight and made his trip.

The Dayton Daily News quotes TSA spokeswoman Chris Rhatigan, who said, “Privacy laws prevent the Transportation Security Administration from commenting on specific personnel issues. However, all employees of the TSA are public servants expected to meet the highest standards of conduct at all times and held accountable when they fail to do so.”

Well, of course. And the TSA screeners say they did just that -- acted in accordance with the highest standards of conduct. Now, they want US Senator George Voinovich (R-OH) to get them their jobs back. The screeners also want congressional hearings on what they call “poor management practices (that) have compromised national security at the airport.” They allege their dismissals will have a “paralyzing effect on security screeners,” who may just decide to turn the other way rather than risk their jobs when the crew member in question is anything but flat on his back drunk. The senator's office says it's studying the documents submitted by the former screeners.

“These three screeners followed (TSA procedures) to the letter and were terminated because of it,” said Diane Witiak, spokeswoman for the American Federation of Government Employees union, in an interview with the Daily News. The AFGE is trying to organize airport screeners, even though the Bush administration has banned federal unions from the TSA. “It sends a very, very bad message to other screeners, especially at Dayton. If screeners are afraid to follow their gut, it reduces measurably their ability to do their jobs and protect the flying public.”

Two days after the Dayton screeners confronted the AirTran pilot, he said, airport screeners in Michigan stopped a pilot who proved to be intoxicated and was prevented from flying. “They get a pat on the back, the three of us get fired.”

FMI: www.tsa.gov