Drunk air steward tried to board Heathrow flight while 12 times over legal limit

An air steward has admitted trying to board a flight at Heathrow airport whilst drunk at more than 12 times the alcohol limit.

Jessica Kostakopoulou, 43, stated she had not been drinking when she was stopped by security in Terminal 2 of the west London airport on 22 March, leading to police being called.

The defendant, who had been working for Scandinavian Airlines since October last year, “appeared unsteady on her feet and slurred her words” and smelled of alcohol during the incident, prosecutor Reem Khatib told Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court.

Subsequent breathalyser tests showed she had 254 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood in her system. The legal limit is 20 milligrams, the court heard.

Kostakopoulou, of Claremont Road, Windsor, pleaded guilty to carrying out an activity, namely going through security, which was ancillary to an aviation function at the court on Tuesday.

Amber Pierce, defending, told the court the defendant was not a supervisor on the flight she intended to board and “no direct harm” was caused as a result of her actions.

The court heard Kostakopoulou, who was of previous good character and had been working in the aviation industry for more than 20 years, resigned from her role as an air steward immediately after the incident occurred.

A magistrates’ bench fined the defendant £623, including a victim surcharge and legal costs, to be paid in monthly instalments, having found her remorse to be “genuine”.

Addressing the bench in court, Kostakopoulou said: “I feel very ashamed and embarrassed about everything that happened.

“I’m trying to amend my ways now and start a new job. I’m very sorry.”