He spent all his money doesn't mean he's guilty. You should reach out to John, you seem to share the same level of understanding. But under the circumstances, Ingram declined to be tested. February 28, 2021 - The union didnt specify who exactly should be replaced but said it was below senior management. Does any employee have the duty to inquire further? I have held several jobs that perform random drug and alcohol tests. You ought to be judged by what You do and Your worth to a company! This is the type of mistake I tried to avoid, "Ive exhausted my 401K and sold stock and two cars to survive.". April 2021 - American Airlines plans to resume hiring pilots this fall, the carrier told aviators on Tuesday, as a rebound in demand prompts airlines to rethinking their future staffing. As for the drug test & everything else, my theory: First off, the contractor stated it was a refusal, so did he talk to the captain and state the name was wrong but wanted to drug test him because he was First off, the contractor stated it was a refusal, so did he talk to the captain and state the name was wrong but wanted to drug test him because he was the captain, and he said no and walked off? But then you probably believe everything on the internet is true and super PAC ads are news. (Photo: Al Drago) O n a Friday-morning flight from Houston to Albuquerque, a Southwest Airlines pilot . The random part of drug testing makes waiting 2 weeks to taste the Everything Bagel much more difficult, if not impossible. Eulen America should never ask a flight attendant for a "David". I bet he answers to 'David' when the barista has his latte ready. Nothing but a Y membership without the pool. Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners. Focus on the story. A pilot with a social media following for his anti-vaccine views has gone viral for attacking his airline's mandate on employees getting the coronavirus shot. The board vote was 17 to 2, with one person abstaining. Easier to break someone financially than to be right in the first place. A memo from Chief of Operations John Laughter says details will be unveiled March 5 and COVID-19-idled pilots can expect a busy summer of training and refreshers. The COVID-19 pandemic decimated travel worldwide when cities and . Kyle Arnold is the aviation writer for The Dallas Morning News, covering airlines, air travel and the aerospace industry. The Eulen America employee is an idiot. July 2021 - Following the release of American Airlines (A1G) (AAL) 2021 second-quarter financial report, the carrier revealed its intent on adding 1,350 pilots by the year 2022. What do you make of this American Airlines drug test story? You might assume well maybe he had something to hide, but clearly thats not the case, because he then volunteered to take a test, and had no drugs in his system. Very worrying to think that people don't realize the financial implications of their late years. The contractor asked for someone called David. Meanwhile, the airline's CEO collected. I agree about the Union. I hope this guy gets a nice settlement for all the pay he lost, and then some. All of those members are still able to perform their duties as professional pilots, the letter continued. When huge airlines are partnering with incompetent ground service teams like Eulen AND even worse the FAAthese thighs are bound to happen. August 2021 - Our pilots share a passion for safety, customer service and caring for their crews. He was combative with other crew, passengers and airline staff and ultimately failed the drug test and was fired by the airline. ATP students can earn $11,000 in tuition reimbursement. However, it was Uniteds CEO, Scott Kirby, who had the most to say. As for the pilot's situation, if not employed in ground services, most of these barely educated individuals would be flipping burgers at a Scottish restaurant. During the COVID-19 pandemic, American Airlines received almost $7 billion in PPP loans from the federal government but still laid off 30,000 employees. All birthdays , Holidays, graduations missed in order to fulfil our job responsabilities. The Allied Pilots Association says about 30% of American's 14,000 pilots have not gotten shots and warns that mass terminations of unvaccinated pilots could lead to a severe shortage of. I agree about the Union. Granted, if the AA calls came in hours later, maybe the captain was sleeping. But I guess hindsight is 20/20, so. In one hospital, theyre putting in nurses aides in place of nurses. Moonman was a prolific, but mostly harmless youtuber at a different AA wholly owned then this guy. Ingram, upset by the call, scheduled tests, including a blood test, that showed no alcohol or drugs were in his system, Mager wrote. Botched a drug test for Dimwit, picked a wrong time to be @Mike Unclassified cookies are cookies that we are in the process of classifying, together with the providers of individual cookies. Sounds like typical AA management to meinept. I worked at AAL for 11 years. May 2021 - Offering a positive company culture, top pilot pay rates and career stability. March 2, 2021 - In North America, a shortage of 12,000 commercial pilots is expected by 2023, driven by mandatory and COVID-related retirements. In this post: American pilot didn't take drug test intended for someone else Court sides with fired pilot What a terrible, cruel story Bottom line No free government lawyer here. That's how people's lives get ruined by people not doing their job right. It is very it isn't the responsibility of the innocent to prove their innocence. Sly Oliver, who had worked as a ramp agent for 15 . The intention is to display ads that are relevant and engaging for the individual user and thereby more valuable for publishers and third party advertisers. His life finances have nothing to do with him being fired. Seems as though the management of this process is very disorganized and that AA instead of canning the pilot should have launched an investigation of how this occurred. My last name is frequently garbled, despite being pronounced exactly as written, and it takes only a few seconds to ask, "did you mean XYZ?" Answer (1 of 6): My airline is unionized with ALPA There are procedures for termination of employment. If this were reddit, it'd be an ETA from me. Good luck, Although I agree with the testing asking for a person and it was the wrong person should have been noted somewhere in the testing company notes all the things that happened to cthis pilot was an avoidable situation Im happy he took it to court and the ones who blessed up are held liable, I wouldve thought the pilot wouldve stay there and try and find out who this David was or if it was him with a typo mistake. Pilots are routinely administered random drug and alcohol tests. That night was the end of all pay and benefits, Ingram said. Focus on the story. The company has a strict vaccine mandate, requiring staff to get the shot or be terminated,. Since random drug testing is performed by the contractor asking for a specific employee, Ingram informed the person that his name wasnt David, and at that point he walked up the jet bridge and into the terminal. Cumulative raises will amount to . The "fix" is so easy it is hard to understand how this isn't the first time this happened. The powers that be can always hire the same people that they suggest can now be brain surgeons, engineers, etc.. It sounds like since the pilot wasn't "David", he didn't stop and engage the tester for clarification. Southwest is not the only carrier hiring pilots in 2021, but it is further evidence of the ongoing recovery in the American aviation industry. The pilot should have stuck around and confirmed the true name of the tested, and the testing company should not have jumped to conclusions and deemed it as a refusal to test. As a student pilot my ground school instructor wouldn't have endorsed my flight log book nor would my CFI risk his safety or license had he suspected drug use after 50 hours of flight time. DeWitt Ingram, who is now 64 years old, spent 21 years flying for American Airlines. . As for 'Sticking around' to 'Clarify' anything is a joke. One of the topics that came up were recent cuts to some regional routes, including some market exits. Please double-check the required fields below. Which, from the standpoint of efficiency, was/is stupid. The pilot should be vindicated and WELL compensated. I would be willing to AA and the drug testing company botched the entire testing procedure. Either he is really victimizing himself or he took terrible financial decisions in his life. Airlines are hiring at faster rates than ever before. This time they will have to pay for their BIG mistakes.. That contractor guy should have waited to talk to the pilot so he can confirm for himself if the pilot was the one really randomly selected for the drug test, not just maliciously remarking that the pilot 'refused' to take the test, just blatant incompetence, hope he be fired for grave negligence.. He,should have ask to ask for ID to verify the name of the pilot. Some cookies are placed by third party services that appear on our pages. Then againlong trip and someone is asking for someone else, you are in go-home mode. Why would the captain not pick up the phone when something like this just happened? Though I was a charter member of NATCA, when I needed them they were nowhere to be found. Roles are available at BOS (Boston), FLL (Fort Lauderdale), JFK (New York), LAX (Los Angeles) and MCO (Orlando). I agree that they both screwed up. Sick, picked a wrong insurance. I can see where they would get confused and ask for David. Eulen America should never ask a flight attendant for a "David". CHICAGO (WLS) -- United Airlines said it has fired almost 600 employees for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID, despite the mandate the company put in place. Three Sun Country fleet employees have claimed the airline fired them in retaliation for their support of a union approved in January. Even worse, this may have been a case of "fire him before he retires, so we don't have to pay Captains pay retirement plans" situation. Random testing is way out of controll. People can just about do what they want to another person. The airline plans to hire 120 pilots in 2022 Avelos announcement follows moves by fellow ULCC startup Breeze Airways, as well as Isnt it possible he is partially to blame. March 2021 - Air Wisconsin has updated their open positions to include First Officers. I am a commercial bus driver and the random drug test is usually notified directly to drivers via email, is the employer duty to properly and clearly notify employee and provide employees the address of the drug test clinic. Kyle Arnold. Editorial Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any entity mentioned herein. What kind of life he was living? United announced its vaccine . Really impossible to know without knowing the nuance of exactly what happened. Hes turning 65 in January 2023, which is the retirement age for pilots. Business owners in America R just GREEDY D-BAGS willing to ruin a life to save $! Hewitt should be reinstated with full compensation. It's the dirtiest of business practices. You will train at the American Airlines Flight Training Center in Charlotte, North Carolina and flow to American in seniority order. At least that seems like a good way to cover your rear. Well be a big hirer again, CEO Ted Christie told CNBC. Okay, so this whole thing sounds fishy. The program will also be retroactive to include all current pilots at Envoy and new hires through 2022. * A felony conviction. If you are not the person they are asking for & notified them as so, then continued on your way. Pilot shortage forces American Airlines to cancel 303 flights over weekend: 3,000 MORE could be axed in July after pilots were fired at the start of pandemic and not enough have been rehired They claimed bankruptcy, just to screw all the retirees, and opened right back up. Simply walking past the tester was both rude and could create the appearance that, in fact, the pilot was attempting to evade or delay a test. Exhausted his 401K and sold cars and shares to survive ? I was Random tested 3x within a matter of months in the past. Hmmm. I've duked it out with their lawyers. How is it that the contract employee stated the wrong name, ("David"), but was able to report the correct name as having refused the drug test? It's hard enough to get a private pilot's license and for one person to place this fabricated, lie and get away with it, Just isn't fair and forever in a day this will follow me. The airline said at the time that weather created a domino effect of pilots and flight attendants reaching federal limits on hours worked, and it took days to work through the shortage of crew members. Thats how bad things are at Smetican. We have zero facts about his lifestyle to form an opinion. Employees will be required to submit proof of vaccination to Amtraks self-service portal. The fault lies with both parties. DeWitt Ingram joined American Airlines predecessor MetroJet in 1999. I would counter the bluff. American Airlines sent out a defiant email to all of its U.S. employees, putting them on notice that if they do not get fully vaccinated against COVID by November 24, they will be FIRED on the spot. Michael DunningGetty Images. Either he is really victimizing himself or he took terrible financial decisions in his life. High Experience Bonus, $15,000 for those with at least 1,000 hours of qualified FAR 121 experience or $10,000 for those with at least 750 hours of qualified FAR 121 experience. They need to go to the cockpit and say "hello captain, time for a drug test". You must admit. Both the testing company and the airline need to pay an amount that they will learn and remember that if they are unjustly negligent with an employes well being that they will be the ones to ultimately pay. The pilot should have stuck around and confirmed the true name of the tested, and the testing company should not have jumped to conclusions and deemed it as a refusal to test. Id rather the airlines take a hard stance to eliminate ANY chance my pilots are loaded!! They get five months training. April 2021 - United Airlines on Thursday told staff it will soon begin hiring hundreds of pilots a process the airline was forced to halt when coronavirus pandemic devastated travel demand last year, according to an internal email reviewed by CNBC. Why didn't the employee at Eulen immediately contact a Supervisor? If that sounds like you, then youre Republic ready! The airline intends to open the pilot application window soon with the aim of re-starting hiring that was frozen during the pandemic by July, provided passenger demand recovers, the spokeswoman said, confirming a report from sources. Maybe one shouldnt count on it for the holidays. However, in Ingrams case, the notifier asked the flight attendant at the aircraft door for David, Mager wrote. As it turns out, the pilot who took that video has been fired by Volaris. Cancel Culture Community Attempts to Get American Airlines Pilot Fired. The contractor is at fault!! Well see how the employees take to it. Specifically, first officer Libertad Salmeron was fired by Volaris for not following the sterile cockpit procedure, whereby pilots are only supposed to be performing essential tasks while at below 10,000 feet. Due to my license being on the line anytime someone said random test I always ask am I on the list. Whatever the outcome, Ingram will never fly for American again. Anyone in the transportation field needs to have random drug and alcohol testing. I would give my name and have them check the paperwork. They had to know who the pilot was that was to be tested. How do you know he wasn't recently divorced, and lost everything? The next day, Ingram awoke to several voice mail messages from American Airlines flight department, expressing their shock that he refused to take a drug and alcohol test, Mager wrote. Subsequently, Ingram met the notifier and told her his name was not David, and the two both walked up the jet bridge and into the terminal.. June 2021 - Uniteds new blockbuster order for 270 new Airbus and Boeing aircraft comes with huge job growth. It is not to much to ask! When huge airlines are partnering with incompetent ground service teams like Eulen AND even worse the FAAthese thighs are bound to happen. But no last name? July 2021 - Republic has increased its new hire First Officer bonus to a industry leading $17,000. Pilot Retention Bonus Program, up to $150,000. However I found being a member better for me, in certain times, than not being a member. This has been in court for over two years. On the other hand, the pilot should not have cavalierly said "No David here!" My brother had achieve his commercial pilot's license and when my father passed away, I had taken my portion of our inheritance to get both my son and I a private pilot's license. As a commercial truck driver I am subject to random drug and alcohol tests as well, so I understand the implications of refusal to test. The 2 most addictive substance is still not regulated anywhere. He spent all his money doesn't mean he's guilty. First-year First Officer pay rate of $52.19/hr and third-year Captain pay rate of $99.40/hr, $10,000 Pilot Training Completion Bonus and more. Totally agree. Hospitals are even trying to force patients to get vaccinated. The airline transport pilot license is required to operate as captain on a "large commercial multi-crew aircraft," according to the Johannesburg School of Flying. Ive exhausted my 401K and sold stock and two cars to survive. While the two sides have met regularly over the past few months, APFA . May 2021 - Allegiant is hiring and plans to increase pilot workforce by 19% this summer. CRJ-Type Rating Bonus, $7,500 for pilots with qualified CRJ-type rating. If this were reddit, it'd be an ETA from me. Throughout the summer of 2021, middle management chose to advance cancel hundreds of flights, disrupting thousands of travel plans while at the same time damaging the American Airlines brand, the resolution calling for the firings said. Parker said this week that Americans operational issues were rough at the beginning of summer, but that the company had made improvements. The Chicago-based airline is the first of the large U.S. carriers to announce it will resume pilot hiring, the latest sign its preparing for a recovery. to fulfillment of my lifelong dream of becoming an airline pilot," he said. The airline contractor clearly asked for a specify person. * Sexual harassment. The following morning, Ingram awoke to several voicemails from American Airlines flight department, expressing shock that he refused to take a drug and alcohol test. To be clear, The people hired to make check marks or spelled names barely speak English, and there they're pronunciation and/or or there Capacity to check the correct boxes Can be in question definitely. How do you know the Eulen employee lied? There are 3 checkmarks. The judge quickly struck down the FAAs case. Prior to the report, American Airlines (A1G) (AAL) reported having asked over 3,300 employees to return from leave to aid in fortifying its staffing requirements. This man has not been treated fairly by a company he worked for 32 years. I've been exactly there. He deserves all benefits reinstated and what he has lost since loosing his job plus punitive damages. It seems big,RICH corporations like to save $ by firing ppl illegally so they dont have to pay them their pension! Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ). He needed to keep a level head even though he was obviously affronted this demand. According to his testimony, nearly 100 regional aircraft are parked at United due to the ongoing pilot shortage. I a civil Court I would go for the Euling employee who surrender the refusal report as well. I would not have just kept walking. Its a massive sickout. The fleet additions, which also include another 24 MAX aircraft for 2023, will enable the carrier to manage the surge in travel demand it expects to see over the next two years. Stay up-to-date on pilot hiring announcements and what's going on with the pilot job market. They should of made sure they were testing the right pilot! I agree that they both screwed up. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Clarify, clarify, and verify! To think that I thought AAL was the pinnacle of airlines at one time. Atlas Air hired 32 pilots in January. A company full of hate for each other and its customers . Hopefully this pilot gets $2,000,000 for AA, Eulen America and $4,000,000 from the FAA who was acting as AA's Beyotch. March 2021 - Endeavor is hiring pilots again - join our growing team! After 21 years of service he surely knew the seriousness of the situation. I've worked for 10 years making less than 100K/year and if i were to quit or being terminated today, could easily live for 4-5 years with no job with my savings before touching my 401K or shares. I would be willing to bet he never treated his employer as poorly as they have treated him! Yes, the Captain was wronged horribly herebut he could have avoided this hell by simply probing a little and asking for clarification. They are subject (rightly, as Ben points out) to absolute oversight for drug testing their pilots and the consequences of not doing so would be severe for the company. Then againlong trip and someone is asking for someone else, you are in go-home mode. The Atlanta-based carrier will start by adding 75 pilots who have conditional job offers in June through August and will likely increase the number of new pilots by September, John Laughter, Delta's senior vice president and chief of operations, wrote in a staff memo, which was seen by CNBC. Armored Bridges To Ukraine: Last Pieces For A Counter-Attack Coming Into Place, Leidos Approach To Armys Athena Recon Aircraft Stresses Integration Skills, Networking Experience, Analytic Objectivity, After Covid, The Global Commercial Aviation Fleet Starts To Grow Again, New Marine Corps Prototype Ship Signals Interesting Times For South China Sea. Now lets add this pilot judgement level with MCAS. My last name is frequently garbled, despite being pronounced exactly as written, and it takes only a few seconds to ask, "did you mean XYZ?" The Allied Pilots Associationrequestedthat American Airlines find alternate means of compliance with the Executive Order be made available for professional pilots so as not to prompt mass firings and unpaid leave following President Joe Bidens Septemberannouncement mandating large employers to require vaccinations or weekly testing. Clearly the testing company (through their employee) bears some degree of fault for reporting this as a "refusal" rather than a paperwork mix-up. August 2021 - As a PSA pilot, youll be part of a growing, close-knit, passionate team flying exclusively for American Airlines. I definitely agree. He's now getting some justice in court. A judge ruled that the FAA illegally revoked his license, and he can now proceed with suing both the airline and the company behind the drug test. And for Mike Bolton, you botched the history of Hostess. American Airlines sent out a defiant email to all of its U.S. employees, putting them on notice that if they do not get fully vaccinated against COVID by November 24, they will be FIRED on the spot. Ive exhausted my 401K and sold stock and two cars to survive. And, yes, of course the contractor should have asked for "Firstname LASTNAME" for clarity, but a few little steps on both sides would've prevented this nightmare. Preference cookies enable a website to remember information that changes the way the website behaves or looks, like your preferred language or the region that you are in. In 2016, Eisen created Mindful Aviator, an online course that uses meditation to help . The airline, I suppose, could have simply suspended the pilot from flying and then investigated to determine whether the pilot bore zero fault or partial fault in not getting the situation cleared up in the moment. This man was a faithful employee who got the boot right as he was getting ready for retirement. Think about how many employees that would take to cancel 1800 flights. I would have tried to clear it up on site. Minnesota-based Sun Country and United Express carrier GoJet, which have all announced pilot pay increases since the beginning of December. He just makes bad decisions. Far worse than anything I ever knew after many years at UAL. This 2000 photo "is a look back [+] to fulfillment of my lifelong dream of becoming an airline pilot," he said. The union for American Airlines pilots is calling on the company to fire the "management team members who control the American Airlines operation" after another summer when the carrier. The program, which is available exclusively to ATP Flight School students and instructors, provides applicants a conditional job offer for a first officer position upon the successful completion of a background check and technical interview, creating a more streamlined hiring and onboarding experience for qualified candidates. Completely a big and desastrous mistake done by the Airline and the people in charge of taking the Drug text.I certainly hope this pilot win his case in court and be compensated for time loss, his reputatin and good name be clarify.My best wishes and luck to him ! I'm an FAA Airman too. I've been on the receiving end of having my ATC license taken away for medical reasons because of the FAA's archaic and behind the times rules. I tested positive for opioids one time because I ate an Everything Spice Bagel the day before my test. The decision of AA and FAA is against the principle of natural justice. The increases would make the pilots the highest paid of the U.S. regional airlines, ramping up pressure on other carriers to follow suit. I would not only suit AA and Euling companies, but I will also would go and suit APA , the Pilots union representing all 15,000 Professional Pilots at AA for not following through. As a result, Mager wrote, Ingram was grounded forever and all FAA public records of him ever having been a pilot were gone from the FAA Airmen Registry public website., This is a BETA experience. I would not have just kept walking. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. I would not only suit AA and Euling companies, but I will also would go and suit APA , the Pilots union representing all 15,000 Professional Pilots at AA for not following through. Good luck to you Captain. How do you know he wasn't recently divorced, and lost everything? A judge has ruled that the FAA took away Ingrams license illegally. The authoritarian Left is at it again. I believe he should be granted, by the judge and jury, three times what his retirement should have been. Not sure they state the rank of the person on the testing order. As former Chief, Alcohol & Drug Abuse Prevention & Control Program HQ U.S. Army Europe, I "saw" numerous soldiers discharged from the army for "drug positives." So even if he got his job back he couldn't work without that license. The pilots union, along with the flight attendants union, has complained that problems at the airline this summer have made it difficult to get hotels, food and transportation for crew members during trips. Apparently he'll kick me off before I even make it down the jet bridge. So AA told FAA to take away his license and the FAA was wrong here. I was reading and kept wondering ok wheres are his Union reps. I wish him luck. The pilot repeatedly and consistently insisted that the notifier had never notified him that he was selected for a random alcohol/drug test. Marketing cookies are used to track visitors across websites. Heres a case where someone got fired over a drug test situation, even though they had nothing to hide. Gordon E. Browning, PhD. I do not understand why they do not do more random drug tests in the medical field. but rather should have given the tester time to check the paperwork and get it straightened out. Take the damn rest and then use your union to investigate. I don't want someone who makes bad decision flying me around. He just makes bad decisions.