A Southwest Airlines pilot was recently removed from a flight and arrested for DUI. The incident occurred at a gate in a Georgia airport before the airplane was scheduled to depart, raising concerns among passengers nationwide. 

A 52-year-old Southwest Airlines pilot was removed from a flight and charged with a DUI while ‘performing preflight checks’

Flying can be stressful for many passengers. However, it doesn’t instill confidence to have your pilot escorted off of a flight under the suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI). Consequently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandates that pilots steer clear of alcohol for at least eight hours before piloting an airplane.

It’s a serious matter, and for good reason. That’s why authorities removed David Paul Allsop, a 52-year-old pilot with Southwest Airlines from a flight. According to authorities at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Georgia, crew screeners reported “encountering an individual in the crew screening lane who smelled of alcohol and appeared intoxicated.”

Allsop then proceeded to Southwest Airlines Flight 3772, sat in the cockpit, and began “performing preflight checks,” according to the New York Times. Police in the terminal then entered through the jetway and asked Allsop to exit the cockpit. The officers reported that Allsop appeared intoxicated and smelled of alcohol.

The Southwest Airlines pilot claimed he had “few light beers” the night before the flight. However, law enforcement charged Allsop with a DUI. A spokesperson for the airline said Allsop had “been removed from duty,” following the crime. 

I know what you’re thinking. “A DUI in an airplane?” Well, it happens. An airborne drunk driving charge, also known as “flying under the influence” (FUI), can land pilots in serious trouble. In many cases, the FAA will suspend or revoke a pilot’s license or rating. Understandably, too. After all, a drunk airline pilot is a hazard to themselves, their crew, passengers, and people on the ground.