American Airlines pilots based in or transiting Phoenix have been warned to avoid tiramisu in crew meals because the dessert contains alcohol, according to a notice from the Allied Pilots Association's Aeromedical-HIMS Committee.
The contracted catering provider in Phoenix included tiramisu with alcohol on some crew meal trays. Because the dessert is not cooked after the alcohol is added, alcohol may remain in the finished product. The committee cannot determine the alcohol content in individual servings or what effect consumption could have if a crew member were later required to undergo DOT alcohol testing.
The committee is coordinating with the Phoenix Flight Office to remove the dessert and replace it. Crews are advised to accept an incomplete meal rather than eat the tiramisu. Pilots who have already consumed it and have concerns about their fitness to fly should contact their union domicile representatives immediately, without letting schedule pressure influence that decision.
The FAA requires temporary removal from safety-sensitive duties for confirmed alcohol concentrations between 0.02 and 0.039, even though that result is not itself a federal testing violation. A confirmed result of 0.04 or higher carries more serious consequences.