Other Airlines Also Asked To Stop Serving
Sorry, no more boozing on US Airways
to and from New Mexico. The New Mexico Regulation and Licensing
Department denied a liquor license to US Airways for its flights
there, according to TradingMarkets.com. US Airways is now banned
from serving alcohol on all flights to and from New Mexico.
The state Regulation and Licensing Department had already denied
the airline a temporary liquor license in June after US Airways
served alcohol to Dana Papst who later crashed his car, killing a
family of five on the Interstate 25. The Licensing Department
Friday rejected the airline's permanent application, claiming that
it cannot reasonably find that approval of application will protect
the public health and safety or that it is in the public
interest.
US Airways spokeswoman Valerie Wunder declined to comment
Thursday except to say, "We've received the ruling, and we're
looking into it."
The licensing department noted that it cited US Airways twice
this year, accusing it of over serving passengers -- once in the
Papst case and once in a case involving another man who was
arrested for DWI after getting off a US Airways flight. A
Bernalillo convenience store was also cited for over serving
because Papst purchased a six-pack of beer there about an hour
before the I-25 crash.
The Federal Aviation Administration's investigation into the
Papst incident cleared the airline of wrongdoing. US Airways has
the option of appealing the department's finding to state District
Court, Lopez said, "Although we're very confident that this order
is on very solid legal ground."
The decision came after two of the Regulation and Licensing
employees witnessed a flight attendant serve alcohol to a drunken
passenger on a flight from Phoenix to San Diego.
"When the male passenger was moved ... it became apparent he was
highly intoxicated," wrote Wayne Dotson, a Construction Industries
Division bureau chief.
"I observed the smell of alcohol from the passenger during the
entire flight. Furthermore, it was apparent by the facial reactions
of the other surrounding passengers they, too, were disgusted with
his behavior and intoxication."
The state cited US Airways in the incident, but because the
airline did not have a liquor license at the time of the Papst
accident the citation could not be pursued. The incident has
triggered investigations into the liquor license status of all
airlines serving New Mexico.
The state ordered US Airways, Northwest Airlines and Frontier
Airlines to stop serving alcohol on New Mexico flights until they
receive licenses. US Airways received a 90-day temporary license in
March, and it was not renewed. Northwest received a license in May,
while Frontier has chosen not to serve alcohol on New Mexico
flights. The state offered to resolve the Wright citation In
August, if US Airways paid a $1,000 fine and suspended alcohol
sales for one day.
US Airways announced earlier that it was contesting that
citation. Airline representatives have also said they believe the
airline's crew did nothing wrong in the Papst incident. US Airways
officials said parts of New Mexico's alcohol server training
program were implemented in the airline's training for new flight
attendants in August.
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