NATA filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in a case involving a Part 135 pilot whose aircraft was taken after alcohol was found in a passenger’s belongings on a flight to a dry Alaska community.
NATA is not asking the Court to overturn the pilot’s conviction. The Association’s position is that pilots should be held responsible for what they knowingly transport but should not be treated as law enforcement officers responsible for searching every passenger’s bags. The case could help clarify that a pilot’s primary responsibility is to operate the aircraft safely, not conduct broad searches for items prohibited at a passenger’s destination.
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case on December 1, with a decision expected by the end of its current term.