Southwest Airlines pilot arrested for DUI just before takeoff
A Southwest Airlines pilot was arrested Wednesday at a Georgia airport just before takeoff and accused of driving under the influence, according to airline officials and authorities in Georgia.
David Paul Allsop, 52, of Bedford, New Hampshire, faces a DUI charge following his arrest at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, according to records from the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia. Allsop has been a licensed pilot since 2008.
The records did not indicate the type of substance Allsop is accused of using.
Allsop’s bail was set at $3,500 and has bonded out of jail, sheriff’s office records show.
Federal regulations pilots from consuming alcohol within eight hours of flying or attempting to fly an aircraft, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The same rule applies if the pilot has a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater, FAA regulations say.
"We're aware of a situation involving an Employee on Flight 3772 this morning from Savannah," a Southwest Airlines spokesperson said in a statement. "The Employee has been removed from duty. 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."
Southwest Flight 3772 was scheduled to depart Savannah around 6 a.m. local time for Chicago’s Midway Airport but was delayed by nearly five hours, according to .
CNN contributed to this report
