An American Airways pilot was fired and had his pilot license revoked by the FAA after a botched drug take a look at scenario. He’s now getting some justice in courtroom.
American pilot didn’t take drug take a look at meant for another person
Airline pilots are subjected to random drug testing, which is completely honest when you think about how a lot duty they’ve. Right here’s a case the place somebody received fired over a drug take a look at scenario, regardless that that they had nothing to cover.
DeWitt Ingram, who’s now 64 years previous, spent 21 years flying for American Airways. Sadly his profession ended abruptly in August 2020. He had simply landed in Miami after working a flight. An worker for Eulen America, the bottom companies firm that does drug testing for American Airways, requested the flight attendant on the door for a pilot named “David.”
Since random drug testing is carried out by the contractor asking for a particular worker, Ingram knowledgeable the person who his identify wasn’t David, and at that time he walked up the jet bridge and into the terminal.
The next morning, Ingram awoke to a number of voicemails from American Airways’ flight division, expressing shock that he refused to take a drug and alcohol take a look at. The contract employee performing the take a look at had allegedly marked him as having refused to take the take a look at.
On condition that he was upset by this misunderstanding, he scheduled checks, together with a blood take a look at, which confirmed he had no medicine or alcohol in his system. Admittedly alcohol might need been out of his system at that time, however now we have no cause to consider that was a difficulty, because the take a look at was random (and never on account of any suspicion).
Regardless of that, American Airways fired him two months later, and the airline requested that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revoke his license.
Sadly this incident has fully modified his life. As Ingram explains:
“That night time was the tip of all pay and advantages. I’ve exhausted my 401K and offered inventory and two automobiles to outlive. By no means in my worst nightmare might I’ve dreamed my completely satisfied world of non-public {and professional} achievement and pleasure might finish so disastrously because it did. It’s been an extended darkish gap within the floor jail — alone and informed repeatedly to by no means inform anybody in order to guard me.”
Court docket sides with fired pilot
Whereas this incident occurred over two years in the past, particulars are solely now rising, as this case is being heard in courtroom, the place Ingram is getting some vindication.
A choose has dominated that the FAA took away Ingram’s license illegally. Moreover, a choose is permitting his lawsuit to proceed to be able to get compensation, as he’s suing each American Airways and Eulen America, the corporate that carried out the drug take a look at. The 2 corporations have been looking for a dismissal.
American Airways and the FAA basically took the stance that his failure to finish the take a look at constituted a refusal, whereas the pilot repeatedly and constantly insisted that he had by no means been notified that he was chosen for a random take a look at, because the contractor mentioned it was for somebody named “David.”
Sadly even with a choose ruling in favor of Ingram, he’ll by no means have the ability to fly for an airline once more. He’s turning 65 in January 2023, which is the retirement age for pilots.
What a horrible, merciless story…
That is a type of conditions the place you virtually should surprise if there’s extra to the story that’s not identified. Nonetheless, with a choose having now dominated on the case, it appears fairly clear that that is roughly what occurred.
How is it potential {that a} pilot not solely will get fired however has his license revoked by the FAA over what quantities to a miscommunication? You may assume “effectively perhaps he had one thing to cover,” however clearly that’s not the case, as a result of he then volunteered to take a take a look at, and had no medicine in his system.
Additionally, how was the union not in a position to do one thing to assist? Isn’t this one of many major functions of unions, to defend workers in conditions like this?
Now, after all looking back, I feel it’s value acknowledging that there might need been a greater solution to deal with this. Airways take drug testing very significantly, and have zero tolerance with this type of stuff.
If a contractor got here up searching for a pilot who wasn’t on the flight, it would make sense to stay round and take a while to make clear, somewhat than simply strolling off and transferring on together with your day. At the very least that looks as if a great way to cowl your rear. However I suppose hindsight is 20/20, so…
Backside line
In August 2020, an American Airways pilot was approached by a contractor to take a drug take a look at. The problem was that the drug take a look at was allegedly for another person, so the pilot didn’t take it. Two months later, he was fired from the airline, and even had his license revoked by the FAA.
This case is simply now going by means of courtroom, and the pilot is lastly getting some justice. A choose dominated that the FAA illegally revoked his license, and he can now proceed with suing each the airline and the corporate behind the drug take a look at.
I hope this man will get a pleasant settlement for all of the pay he misplaced, after which some…
What do you make of this American Airways drug take a look at story?
