A Southwest Airlines pilot was arrested moments before a Chicago-bound flight was set to take off from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Georgia on Wednesday morning. The pilot, identified as 52-year-old David Paul Allsop, was taken into custody at approximately 7 a.m. and charged with driving under the influence (DUI), according to a report by CBS News.
Mr. Allsop was reportedly exhibiting signs of intoxication and emitting a strong smell of alcohol when approached by airport police. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations strictly prohibit pilots from consuming alcohol while on duty, flying, or attempting to fly within eight hours of drinking. Pilots are also barred from flying with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.04% or higher.
Although the police and airline have not disclosed Mr. Allsop’s specific BAC, officials deemed his condition unfit for operating the aircraft.
In a statement, Southwest Airlines acknowledged the incident: “We’re aware of a situation involving an employee on Flight 3772 this morning from Savannah. The employee has been removed from duty.”
Passengers were rebooked on alternate flights, while the Chicago-bound flight eventually departed around 11 a.m., four hours after its originally scheduled departure.