IT WASN’T THE TOOTH FAIRY, IT WAS THE CHEWING GUM

Jet Blue pilot blames high breathalyzer reading on gum he was chewing

A Jet Blue pilot is no longer a Jet Blue pilot because he flew a couple of flights while pickeled. When he blew two breathalyzer tests, he blamed the high reading on the gum he was chewing.

Nice try, but he might just as well have blamed it on the tooth fairy.

The former airline pilot checked himself into rehab and now works as a substitute school teacher earning $900 a month.

JET BLUE PILOT CHARGED WITH DRUNKEN FLYING ON TRIP FROM FLORIDA TO JFK AIRPORT

By John Marzulli

New York Daily News
April 27, 2016

It was cocktails in the cockpit for a JetBlue pilot busted for flying under the influence of alcohol after taking a planeload of passengers from Florida to Kennedy Airport, authorities said Wednesday.

Dennis Murphy, Jr., was selected for a random alcohol test on April 21, 2015, after his flight No. 584 from Orlando touched down with 151 passengers on board.

Murphy blew a .11 for blood-alcohol content on a breath testing device, according to the criminal complaint filed in Brooklyn Federal Court.

The 44-year-old pilot from Ramsey, N.J., was administered a second test 15 minutes later and registered a .091 reading, which is not a crime. To face criminal charges under federal law, a commercial pilot has to have blood-alcohol content of 0.10% or higher.

A separate FAA regulation limits pilots’ blood alcohol content to .04.

“During the walk to the onsite testing office at JFK Airport, Murphy’s face was red and he was chewing gum rapidly,” according to the complaint.

After Murphy was informed of the damning test results, he claimed the reading was caused by the gum, the complaint states.

Oddly, he also asked the tester why he was being checked for alcohol and not drugs.

Earlier the same day, Murphy had piloted Flight 583 from JFK to Orlando with 119 passengers on board.

The co-pilot who flew with Murphy that day told the agent the he observed him “drinking an unknown beverage from a cup before and during” both flights, the complaint says.

Murphy, who has been flying for JetBlue since January 2015, was grounded from flying immediately after flunking the breath test. He resigned from JetBlue before he was scheduled to face a disciplinary meeting last May.

A spokeswoman for the Brooklyn U.S. attorney’s office declined to say why prosecutors waited one year to bust Murphy.

“These are very serious charges,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Haggans said in court, adding that Murphy faces a maximum of 15 years in prison if he’s convicted.

Murphy was released on a $50,000 bond.

Airline spokesman Morgan Johnston said in a statement: “JetBlue has a zero tolerance drug and alcohol policy.”

FAA regulations prohibit pilots from flying within eight hours of drinking alcohol or if they have a blood alcohol level of .04 to .09, but the feds do not require sanctions against the pilot. That decision is made by the airline, according to an FAA spokesman.