A pilot was arrested before he made the long flight from Manchester, England, to Philadelphia after he was suspected of being drunk.
Action News Philadelphia reported the following:
The 62-year-old man was detained Thursday morning at Manchester Airport after someone reported him to police.
The flight was canceled, and all passengers were re-booked onto a different flight. They are expected to arrive Friday afternoon.
It is not known if the person was the captain or a first officer.
It’s not clear if the pilot was seen drinking or if his behavior indicated he was under the influence. All the passengers are safe and will arrive a day late to their respective destinations. (RELATED: Turns Out, It’s Highly Illegal To Fly A Plane While You’re 10 Times Over The Legal Drinking Limit)
American Airlines, which is the company the pilot was flying for at the time, released a statement on the issue.
“American Airlines is aware of an incident involving a member of its crew at Manchester Airport earlier this morning. The employee was detained and the flight, AA735 to Philadelphia, has been canceled,” it reads. “Safety is our highest priority and we apologize to our customers for the disruption to their travel plans, we have re-booked them on alternative flights. We are fully cooperating with local law enforcement and further questions should be referred to them.”
At this time, it’s unclear what the pilot has been charged with or if he is still in custody.