A Southwest Airways pilot was arrested this week for allegedly reporting to work at a Georgia airport intoxicated, inflicting his Chicago-bound flight to be delayed for hours.
The pilot, recognized as 52-year-old David Allsop, was arrested at Hilton Head Worldwide Airport in Savannah on Wednesday after a Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) officer seen he allegedly “smelled of alcohol and appeared intoxicated,” the company stated in an announcement to ABC Information.
Southwest Airways confirmed the pilot had been faraway from obligation and apologized to clients whose journey plans have been disrupted.
The flight Allsop was scheduled to function, Flight 3772 headed to Chicago, was delayed a number of hours from 6:05 a.m. to 10:56 a.m. whereas Southwest acquired a brand new pilot, in keeping with the airline.
Allsop was taken into custody round 7 a.m. by the Chatham County Sheriff’s Workplace and charged with driving beneath the affect, in keeping with the reserving doc obtained by ABC Information.
Southwest Airways pilot, David Allsop has been arrested at Georgia airport for DUI.
Savannah Airport Police Dept.
Forward of his arrest, Allsop was faraway from the cockpit whereas doing pre-flight checks, in keeping with the reserving doc. He was given a sobriety check within the jet bridge, which he failed, and was subsequently taken into custody after refusing a blood check, the incident report stated.
Allsop advised officers he had been consuming gentle beers the evening earlier than, and the report stated the officer smelled alcohol and noticed bloodshot eyes.
The pilot was unable to keep up steadiness in the course of the sobriety check and was unable to comply with the tip of the officer’s pen with solely his eyes and as a substitute moved his neck and his head, in keeping with the incident report.
In its assertion, TSA stated this occasion was an instance of its “see one thing, say one thing” motto.
“TSA all the time reminds passengers that should you see one thing, say one thing, and that’s precisely what our Transportation Safety Officer at Savannah-Hilton Head Worldwide Airport (SAV) did once they noticed one thing out of the norm. Upon encountering a person within the crew screening lane who smelled of alcohol and appeared intoxicated, the TSA officer contacted native regulation enforcement who then engaged the person straight,” the company stated.
“TSA maintains shut relationships with our native regulation enforcement companions exactly for all these conditions. The TSA workforce is vigilant and all the time maintains heightened consciousness of their efforts to safe our transportation programs and hold the touring public secure,” the company added.
