Pilot, hostess caught in Air NZ drinking row
By Vaimoana Tapaleao
4:00 AM Tuesday Feb 23, 2010
A major row has broken out between Air New Zealand and the police after claims of drink-driving staff and a drinking culture.
A pilot, a flight attendant and mechanics are among those caught drinking and driving - two while on their way to work.
The pilot was 2 times over the legal limit when he was stopped by a booze bus. It was the fourth time he had been caught drink-driving.
In an internal email in December, referring to a meeting with the airline 18 months earlier, the head of Waitemata road policing, Superintendent John Kelly, dubbed the behaviour "an apparent drink-drive problem" within Air NZ.
He also told national road policing manager Paula Rose that police and Air NZ needed to "try and address what may be a culture which accepts alcohol consumption, prior to working, as acceptable".
He warned "this may be the tip of the iceberg".
Internal police documents released to TV3 showed there were at least six incidents of drink-driving involving a total of four Air NZ staff between 2007 and last year.
More here.