A flight attendant's career has crashed and burned after she reported for duty to operate a transatlantic flight while more than four times over the strict legal alcohol limit for airline crew.
Lilia Valutyte, a 35-year-old cabin crew member for holiday giant TUI, arrived at Manchester Airport ready to work on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for Mexico. However, a routine pre-flight breathalyser test revealed a shocking result, leading to her immediate dismissal and a subsequent court case.
A Shocking Discovery Before Takeoff
The incident, which unfolded in August 2023, saw Valutyte provide a breath sample that showed an alcohol level of 69 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath. This staggering reading is more than quadruple the legal limit of 9mg for flight crew members, a safety-critical threshold designed to protect passengers and ensure safe operations.
Prosecutors at Manchester Magistrates' Court detailed how the defendant was subjected to the test due to concerns about her fitness for duty. The result was so severe that she was promptly removed from her flight responsibilities and reported to the authorities.
Career Turbulence and Legal Consequences
Valutyte, of Kingfisher Way in Chorley, Lancashire, pleaded guilty to performing an aviation function when her ability was impaired by alcohol. Her defence lawyer, Matthew Smith, stated that the incident had already cost her her "dream job" with TUI, where she had been employed for a decade.
Mr. Smith explained to the court that his client had been drinking the night before the early morning flight and had tragically misjudged the time it would take for the alcohol to leave her system. He emphasised that there was no suggestion she was an alcoholic, but rather that this was a "one-off, huge error of judgement."
A Harsh Lesson and a Final Warning
Presiding over the case, District Judge James Hatton acknowledged the severe professional consequences Valutyte had already faced but underscored the gravity of the offence. He stated that her role carried an "enormous responsibility" for the safety of hundreds of passengers and that her impairment created a "significant risk."
In sentencing, Judge Hatton handed Valutyte a 12-month community order with 80 hours of unpaid work. He also ordered her to pay £85 in costs and a £114 surcharge. Most significantly, he issued a stark warning, telling her: "If you come back to court for any other offence in the next 12 months, you will be in real trouble."
The case serves as a sobering reminder of the zero-tolerance approach the aviation industry takes towards alcohol consumption for safety-critical staff, with even a single misjudgement leading to catastrophic career and personal repercussions.
