A United Airlines stewardess has appeared in court after getting drunk on a flight she was supposed to be working.
The stewardess - Margit Lake - was 10 times the legal limit to fly after downing vodka on a transatlantic jet travelling from San Fransisco to Heathrow Airport.
The 56-year-old had to be taken to hospital upon landing and was later charged with performing an aviation function when over the alcohol limit.
She appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court in a black cardigan and admitted the charge on October 17.
The court heard how she had snuck “multiple miniature bottles” of vodka onto the 10-hour flight.
She had to be treated for low blood pressure by British paramedics upon landing and a blood test revealed Lake had 216 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres in her blood - more than ten times the legal limit for flight attendants in the UK.
The air stewardess had worked for United Airlines for 26 years but since th incident has left, and is now seeking help for alcohol addiction, the court was told.
Lake admitted culpability in the incident and was fined £1,461 financial penalty, a £584 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.
Ben Lansbury, defending, said Lake had been struggling personally in the lead up to the flight.
He said: “She had the alcohol because she needed to calm down. It was something of a shock to her as to what happened. She deeply regrets what happened.
“Ms Lake has been attending Alcoholics Anonymous almost daily since the last hearing. She is supported by colleagues here in the UK and they sit in the back of the court.”
Magistrate Tony Delliston told her: “We are not going to commit this to the crown court. We can deal with this here.
“You are not going to prison. We are going to deal with this with a financial penalty.”
