SAVANNAH, Georgia — An airline pilot from New England was arrested Wednesday at Georgia airport on a charge of driving under the influence just moments before his flight was scheduled for takeoff, authorities said.
David Paul Allsop, 52, of Bedford, New Hampshire, was arrested at the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport around 7 a.m. after he allegedly showed up to work intoxicated, according to a Chatham County Sheriff’s Office arrest report.
The report didn’t indicate the type of substance Allsop is accused of using.
Allsop was set to pilot Southwest Flight 3772 from Savannah to Chicago’s Midway Airport when police boarded the aircraft, entered the cockpit, and escorted him off the plane, CNN affiliate WTOC-TV reported.
In a statement, the FAA said, “Regulations prohibit pilots from using alcohol while on duty or flying, or attempting to fly, an aircraft within 8 hours of consuming alcohol or if their blood alcohol concentration is 0.04% or greater.”
“To see that and know that that’s why I did not fly to Midway this morning, it definitely left a little odd feeling in my stomach,” Southwest passenger Robert Newmerch told WTOC.
Allsop has since been “removed from duty,” Southwest said in a statement obtained by Boston 25′s sister station WSB-TV.
“We’re aware of a situation involving an Employee on Flight 3772 this morning from Savannah. The employee has been removed from duty,” the statement read. “Customers were accommodated on other flights, and we apologize for the disruption to their travel plans. There’s nothing more important to Southwest than the safety of our employees and customers.”
Allsop was granted a $3,500 bond.
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