A flight attendant, Jessica Kostakopoulou, 43, acknowledged attempting to board a plane at Heathrow Airport despite being more than 12 times over the legal alcohol limit. When stopped by security in Terminal 2 on March 22nd, she denied drinking but appeared unsteady and slurred her words, as per prosecutor Reem Khatib at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court. Khatib mentioned that Kostakopoulou also smelled of alcohol. Breathalyser tests indicated 254 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood in her system, well above the legal limit of 20 milligrams.
During the court hearing, Kostakopoulou, from Windsor, Berkshire, pleaded guilty to engaging in an activity related to aviation, specifically going through security. Her defense lawyer, Amber Pierce, highlighted that Kostakopoulou was not overseeing the flight she intended to board, and her actions did not result in direct harm. Pierce also noted Kostakopoulou’s clean record and extensive experience in the aviation industry spanning over 20 years.
Following the incident, Kostakopoulou resigned from her position as a flight attendant. The court imposed a £623 fine on her, inclusive of a victim surcharge and legal costs, to be paid in monthly installments, as reported by the Daily Star.
Expressing remorse in court, Kostakopoulou stated, “I feel very ashamed and embarrassed about everything that happened. I’m trying to amend my ways now and start a new job. I’m very sorry.”
In a separate incident, Kathryn Scott, a Virgin Atlantic flight attendant from Surrey, was reported for duty while four times over the legal alcohol limit after crashing her car on the way to Heathrow airport. The incident occurred on June 12th as Scott was heading to Antigua via Barbados. She had been drinking the night before and crashed her car at a roundabout, requiring assistance from a member of the public to reach work.
Scott was removed from the plane after her crash was reported to the police. She claimed to have consumed two glasses of wine eight hours before the flight. Tests revealed 91mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, exceeding the legal limit of 20mg. Scott attributed the crash to a steering issue with her car and disclosed a diagnosed liver condition affecting her ability to metabolize alcohol efficiently.
Denying the charge of performing an aviation function while over the alcohol limit, Scott was granted bail for trial scheduled on December 11th.
