Transport minister 'very concerned' about Sunwing pilot accused of passing out drunk in cockpit

Federal Transport Minister MarcGarneauhas written to all commercial air carriers to say he is "very concerned" about an incident in Calgary in which aSunwing Airlines pilot is accused of being so drunk he passed out in the cockpit.

Calgary police said MiroslavGronychboardedaSunwingAirlines 737-800 series aircraft shortly before 7 a.m. local time on Saturday while under the influence of alcohol.

Thecase came upbriefly at the Calgary Courts Centre Thursday and was put over until later in January.

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Gronychisaforeign national fromSlovakia who is in Canada on a work visa and keeps a Saskatoon address.

Hewas arrested on Saturday and charged withhaving care and control of an aircraft while impairedand having care and control of an aircraft with a blood alcohol level over .08.

Hepaid $1,000 cash to be released over the weekend under the condition he surrender his passport to Calgary police. He is also forbidden from being in control of an aircraft.

It isagainst the law for pilots in Canada to have consumed alcohol within eight hours of flying and individual airlines,includingSunwing,often have evenstricter rules.

The planewas scheduled to make stops in Regina and Winnipeg before continuing on to Cancun, Mexico. Ithad99 passengers and six crew members on board.

Members of the flight crew noticedthe pilotwas behaving oddly beforehepassed out in the cockpit, according to police.

Gronychdid not appear in person at the Calgary Courts Centre on Thursday. His lawyer addressed the matter at the case management office and it was put over until Jan. 25.

In his letter, Garneauaskedthe airlines toget in touch withTransport Canada to outline and confirm their safety protocols by Feb. 15.

"The incident in Calgary reminds us all of the need to ensure that protocols are up to date and that they are beingimplementedwith all the requiredresources, including measures designed to confirm pilots' fitness to fly,"Garneauwrote.

He also said in the letter thatTransport Canada is also planning aworkshopinearly spring where airlines,unions and medical experts can get together to"consider further steps necessary to enhance aviation safety."

Sunwing spokeswomanJacquelineGrossmansaid inan email to CBC News that company representatives will attend the workshop.

"We look forward to collaborating with other airlines and Transport Canada towards a common goal of further enhancing safety within the Canadian airline industry."

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