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US Airways: no alcohol in or over New Mexico
New Mexico's Regulation and Licensing Department has denied US Airways a permit to serve alcohol in the state -- and that includes the state's airspace. The decision came after a temporary 90-day permit expired, which was put into place after a passenger who was allegedly over-served on a US flight got behind the wheel. Dana Pabst then drove the wrong way down I25 and hit a van carrying a family of 5.
Other incidents where flight attendants reportedly over-served passengers were also taken into account.
US Airways can apply again for a state liquor license, but the company would have to show that it was "prepared to meet New Mexico standards in their practices."
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Filed under: Business, Food and Drink, North America, Airlines
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Bobby G Nov 26th 2007 11:13PM
Speaking of drunk...
Patric Nov 26th 2007 8:20PM
An institution (any institution) that serves liquor should be held criminally liable for the actions of their customers if it can be empiracally proved they are at fault. Yes, I said criminally liable. Beware CEO's...
arno Nov 26th 2007 9:38PM
I think it's time that Americans are responsible for their own action and NOT blaming others all teh time for their own stupidity.
If you can't be responsible you should be in a Mental Hospital
WG Nov 27th 2007 9:17AM
When everyone is held responsible for their actions, their actions will change. Don't blame the airline for a stupid ass passenger.
Michael Nov 26th 2007 11:22PM
How stupid ! People should be held resposible for their own actions. Why try to blame someone else?
obiwan2112 Nov 27th 2007 1:53AM
The people who should be held criminally liable are the people who drank the alcohol, and those who try to shift the blame should be countersued.
PJ Dec 8th 2007 6:32AM
Oooh! I'll bet those CEO's wished they never read your comments. Common, get real. What can you do to make your silly recommendaations come to pass! Oh, and I'll bet you complain about the high cost of insurance too eh?
There is no defending the actions of the guy that killed a family in a Drunk driving accident but to pass the blame to a corporate CEO? Comrade, think it over ! PJ
SP123311 Nov 26th 2007 8:20PM
What ever happened to personal responsibility? Even at my most intoxicated, I know better than to get behind the wheel. It was her responsibility to make arrangements to get home if she was going to drink on the plane. US Air should not claim any responsibility for this. The victims: the family of 5. Perpetrator: Ms. Papst.
Brad Nov 26th 2007 9:28PM
It's great to hear that you have such restraint when under the influence of a mood altering substance. It doesn't sound to me, though, that your most intoxicated is indeed that intoxicated. We have all made bad decisions when under the influence, including for many chosing to drive. Alcohol and other mood alterers are very powerful, and because alcohol has such a negative effect on coordination, it is potentially deadly when mixed with driving. We should never assume that we will always make good choices when under the influence - we should provide "belts and suspenders" tactics (e.g. designated driver) to make sure and stay safe.
Elizabeth Nov 27th 2007 1:42PM
Many have lost all sense of accountability. If someone doesn't think they can still make safe decisions once they have had their first drink, they shouldn't drink or have made arrangements prior, which is how responsible adults act. That is why we have an adult drinking age. If that is too much for someone to take responsibility for, then they shouldn't look to blame others, but rather should look at themselves, grow up and not drink unless they get it together. It's not up to the world to hold our hands to make us do the correct thing. The fact that expecting personal responsibility from an adult surprises some, is the disturbing fact.
rich Nov 26th 2007 8:21PM
I do not have a problem with the state of New Mexico and their concern with over drinking while flying. I do, however, have a problem with this state stating, in essence, that they control the air space over their land. What future problems we shall have if this is ever contested in a court and it is upheld would be insurmountable.
Perry Nov 28th 2007 6:24PM
Control of the air space above a state has already been litigated some years ago in Kansas. Vern Miller was the attorney general for Kansas and had the serving of alcohol in Kansas air space stopped.
charles Nov 26th 2007 8:25PM
WOULD SUIT ME FINE , IF ALL LIQUOR WAS BANNED IN US. I DO TAKE A GLASS OF WINE OCCAISIONALLY, BUT WOULDN'T MISS IT.
libsteroony Nov 26th 2007 9:56PM
They've banned all alchohol in the US before. It didn't work. It wouldn't work any better now.
Pete Nov 27th 2007 7:08PM
remember prohibition? yeah, didn't work then and sure as hell won't work now
bob Nov 26th 2007 11:05PM
yeah, because prohibition worked so well last time...
jerry Nov 26th 2007 11:07PM
Thanks for the big picture Charles. Should I make a list of things that you and many others do that I don't and be glad to see them banned? Let's look beyond our own personal concerns when proposing legislative remedies.
david prince Nov 26th 2007 8:29PM
it may be a small detail, but the truth is that not ALL the people involved in the dana pabst wrong-way crash died. one of the children in the van he hit did survive.
at the same time, i must admit that i myself have encountered a wrong-way driver on interstate 25 just north of santa fe (the exact location of the november 2006 incident described in the story), and drunk driving is a terrible problem here in new mexico. whether the ban on alcohol sales by the airline will result in lowered death rates is debatable. what seems clear is that the state's laws regarding repeat dwi offenders must change: over and over again, news reports tell us of people arrested for drunk driving who have 10, 12 and more previous dwi arrests. in massachusetts, where i lived before i came to nm 20 years ago, you'd have lost your license and done prison time for that many arrests. new mexico appears not to really care about the problem. perhaps this is due to the fact that an inordinate number of state legislators are arrested for dwi every year, and\or perpetuating the state's 'wild west' profile.
Laura Nov 26th 2007 10:29PM
Well said, thoughtful insight.
Kelly Nov 26th 2007 8:29PM
The facts stated in this blog are incorrect. There were in fact, 2 survivors in the SUV that Dana Pabst crashed into. One of the family's teenage daughters and the family dog survived Dana Pabst's horrific decision to drive drunk AGAIN. It was not his first offense.
See the Albuquerque Journal for details