A United Airlines flight attendant was found to have a blood alcohol level over ten times the legal limit for flying after consuming a significant amount of vodka during a transatlantic journey. Margit Lake, aged 56, brought multiple miniature bottles of vodka onto the ten-hour flight from San Francisco to Heathrow on October 17. Following the flight’s landing in London, she required hospitalization due to alcohol consumption.
Reports indicated that Lake, a long-serving employee of United Airlines from California, had low blood pressure, with paramedics detecting alcohol on her breath. Subsequent blood tests revealed an alcohol level of 216 milligrams per 100 milliliters, exceeding the legal limit by a significant margin. Lake resigned from her position at United Airlines after the incident, as disclosed in Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court.
During the court proceedings, it was mentioned that the legal limit for flight attendants in the UK is 20 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. Lake, dressed in a black cardigan, admitted to carrying out aviation duties while surpassing the alcohol limit. Her defense lawyer, Ben Lansbury, stated that Lake was struggling with feelings of isolation, family estrangement, and grief, leading her to consume alcohol to calm down. He emphasized her remorse and mentioned her active participation in Alcoholics Anonymous since the incident.
Magistrate Tony Delliston informed Lake that the case would be handled without involving the crown court, assuring her that no prison sentence would be imposed. Instead, Lake received a financial penalty totaling £1,461 along with additional court costs and a victim surcharge.