A Southwest Airlines pilot was arrested and charged with driving under the influence on Wednesday (Jan. 15).
The pilot was reportedly removed from the cockpit prior to takeoff at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.
Per NBC News, a Transportation Security Administration officer smelled alcohol on the pilot and notified local law enforcement. A photo shared with NBC shows an officer in the cabin of Flight 3772, which was supposed to be en route to Chicago.
“We’re aware of a situation involving an employee on Flight 3772 this morning from Savannah,” Southwest Airlines shares in a public statement. “The employee has been removed from duty.”
“There’s nothing more important to Southwest than the safety of our employees and customers,” the company furthers.
NBC indicates that the pilot, David Allsop, was being held on $3,500 bond by the Chatham County Sheriff’s office.
Southwest Airlines says an apology was given to passengers on Flight 3772. They were also offered other travel accommodations to reach their final destination. The flight did eventually make it to Chicago, but it was delayed nearly five hours, according to records on Flight Aware.
What Is the FAA’s Regulation Regarding Alcohol and Pilots?
The Federal Aviation Administration has strict rules regarding alcohol consumption by its employees. These regulations “prohibit pilots from using alcohol while on duty or from flying, or attempting to fly, an aircraft within eight hours of consuming alcohol or if they have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.04 percent or greater,” a statement from the FAA reads.
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Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes