Southwest Airlines Pilot Charged with DUI, Had Been Set to Fly to Chicago
A Southwest Airlines pilot was removed from the cockpit of a flight from Georgia to Chicago on Wednesday and was booked on a charge of driving under the influence. The pilot, David Paul Allsop, allegedly smelled of alcohol and may have shown other signs of intoxication, according to a source familiar with the incident.
Airport police in Savannah removed Allsop from the flight, which was scheduled to take off from the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport to Chicago’s Midway Airport. The airline spokesperson said that the pilot had been removed from duty and apologized for the disruption to the travel plans of its customers.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prohibits pilots from using alcohol while on duty or from flying an aircraft within 8 hours of consuming alcohol or if they have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.04% or greater. The FAA also requires random alcohol testing for pilots each year.
Allsop’s bail was set at $3,500 and he was released on bond. The FAA has not released information regarding his breath or blood alcohol concentration. The agency said that any factor that impairs a pilot’s ability to perform their duties during the operation of an aircraft is an invitation for disaster.
The incident is a reminder of the importance of the FAA’s rules regarding pilot sobriety and the potential consequences of violating them. Last year, a Delta pilot who showed up drunk before a flight was sentenced to 10 months in jail by a Scottish court.