Pilot refuses to fly after passenger smoked marijuana in lavatory

[GON]

A United pilot refuses to fly a 737 from SFO to CUN after a passenger smoked weed in the aircraft lavatory.

It is reported any trace of weed in pilot's urine is reason to be disqualified from flying.

I have seen a person disqualified from their career for life for testing positive for weed. Person claimed to never have ever used weed. I understand the pilot's position.

https://viewfromthewing.com/im-not-...o-cancun-after-passenger-smokes-weed-onboard/

 

[dubber09]

The pilot should be careful not eating poppy seed bagels or so too.

 

[bdcardinal]

It is still federally illegal and is illegal in Mexico as well.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Someone who takes his job and his responsibilities seriously. Bravo.

 

[RhondaHonda]

No way are you going to piss hot from someone hitting a vape or a one hitter in an airplane bathroom.

 

[rijndael]

No way are you going to piss hot from someone hitting a vape or a one hitter in an airplane bathroom.

Maybe not, but are you willing to risk your career over it? Possibly your pension too?

 

[PandaBear]

Can they tell who smoked weed in the lav and fine that person for that delay? I'll be happy to see this passenger arrested.

 

[AZjeff]

No way are you going to piss hot from someone hitting a vape or a one hitter in an airplane bathroom.

If you guarantee his income to retirement he might reconsider.

 

[JeffKeryk]

The other thing is, what if there was an accident due to the pot?
Full disclosure, back in the day taking a hit in the bathroom was not that uncommon, so I hear.

 

[Hohn]

Someone who takes his job and his responsibilities seriously. Bravo.

Indeed! In world full of clowns and knuckleheads, it's good to know there are still people who take things seriously.

 

[PF52]

It doesn't say, but I wonder if the passenger in question was on that flight, or had been on the plane on it way into SFO and was now long gone? I'm sure everyone else on board was furious at the delay.

 

[4WD]

It doesn't say, but I wonder if the passenger in question was on that flight, or had been on the plane on it way into SFO and was now long gone? I'm sure everyone else on board was furious at the delay.

SFO = semantic fume ontology

 

[Chris142]

Weed should be illegal except for medical use and definitely not in a public place

 

[edyvw]

I think there are various scenarios here that can happen. Did the passenger hide marijuana somewhere? Are lavatory alarms compromised? Who else has marijuana if that passenger managed to bring it? etc.
Maybe @Astro14 or @Just a civilian pilot can shed some light.

 

[JimPghPA]

Ambient air inside a passenger jet at cruse altitude has significantly less oxygen available for the crew, and ANY intoxicating compounds in a person at altitude have significantly greater affects.

As an example, a person can have some alcohol in their system and appear perfectly in control of all physical and mental abilities, but take them up to cruse altitude without them consuming any additiinal amounts, and they very well may appear to have had a few too many.

A pilot not only has to have proper mind and body at normal cruze, but also in any emergency such as sudden loss of cabin pressure when every second counts.


It's not just about testing zero for controlled substances. It about testing 100 % for ability.

 

[4WD]

It doesn't say, but I wonder if the passenger in question was on that flight, or had been on the plane on it way into SFO and was now long gone? I'm sure everyone else on board was furious at the delay.

Another article said the plane had a long wait for something to be checked out - waiting on paperwork - that’s when the clown smoked one and was tossed - if this is correct - they likely had checked bags that must be dug out of the hold etc …

 

[Astro14]

No way are you going to piss hot from someone hitting a vape or a one hitter in an airplane bathroom.

Are you a doctor?

Would you be willing to post a bond for several million dollars in assurance of that position?

 

[CarlB]

Maybe not, but are you willing to risk your career over it? Possibly your pension too?

Think of all the times someone has done it without our knowledge.

 

[Astro14]

Any smoking or vaping aboard the aircraft, including in the lavatory, is illegal.

The point is this: if the pilot walks in immediately after and gets “secondhand smoke“, is that enough? I don’t know.

And neither does anyone else on this board.

Because any THC in his system would be career ending, I support this guy in his decision.

Let me add that the pilot has a duty to report any impairment to his ability to fly safely. If this exposure caused him enough concern that it created an impairment, then he absolutely did the right thing.

Whether or not it is enough to cause a positive, if he worries about it, then he is not focused on the flight and he is unfit to fly

The problem here is not the Pilot, the problem here is the person who committed a crime in the first place.

 

[BHopkins]

Think of all the times someone has done it without our knowledge.

It seems near impossible that someone could smoke pot in an enclosed space of about 32 ft³, and no one else would know.