American Airlines flight canceled after pilot arrested on suspicion of being drunk
An American Airlines flight from England to Philadelphia was canceled after the 62-year-old pilot was arrested on suspicion of being drunk.
According to The Independent, the pilot was arrested on Thursday morning at the Manchester Airport on suspicion of “performing an aviation function when over the prescribed limit of alcohol.” He was one of three pilots aboard Flight AA735. All customers on the canceled flight were rebooked onto another flight, according to the outlet.
Greater Manchester Police report that the pilot, whose name has not been made public, has been released on bail and is pending further investigation.
American Airlines, which did not immediately respond to Yahoo Lifestyle’s requests for comment, said in a statement to The Independent, “We are fully cooperating with local law enforcement and further questions should be referred to them.”
In a statement provided to the New York Post, American Airlines said it “is aware of an incident involving a member of its crew at Manchester Airport yesterday morning. The employee was detained and the flight, AA735 to Philadelphia, was canceled. Safety is our highest priority and we apologize to our customers for the disruption to their travel plans; all were rebooked on alternative flights.”
FAA regulations dictate that a pilot may not serve as a crew member within eight hours of consuming alcohol, a policy known as “bottle to throttle.”
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