Southwest Airlines pilot arrested in cockpit after accused of DUI
Southwest Airlines removed a pilot from duty after he was extracted from the cockpit of a Chicago-bound plane and arrested for DUI in Georgia.
“The Employee involved in the situation on Flight 3772 Wednesday morning from Savannah has been removed from duty,” the airline said in a statement emphasizing passenger safety. “Customers were accommodated on other flights and we apologize for the disruption to their travel plans.”
CBS News identified the pilot as David Paul Allsop. He allegedly smelled of alcohol and may have showed other signs of impairment. It’s unclear if a sobriety test was administered when he was taken into custody Wednesday.
The Federal Aviation Administration prohibits pilots “from reporting for duty or remaining on duty” if they have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04 of higher and work in a “safety-sensitive” capacity.
Allsop was freed on bond after a $3,500 bail was set.
Southwest is headquartered in Texas and operates out of LaGuardia Airport in New York City. The Department of Transportation announced Tuesday it was suing the the low-fare airline over “unlawful chronic flight delays.” The agency states that airlines have an obligation to provide travelers with “realistic” arrival and departure times.
