'Drunk' UAL Pilot Arrested Before Takeoff

mjg407

Well-Known Member
LONDON — A Unied Airlines pilot was arrested in a jet’s cockpit minutes before take-off Sunday on suspicion of being drunk.
Hundreds of stunned passengers watched police march the 44-year-old American first officer off the Boeing 777.
The United Airlines flight to San Francisco was delayed at Heathrow for almost three hours while a replacement co-pilot was found.
Cops swooped after a tip-off from ground staff, who suspected the airman was boozing before the 5,300-mile flight.
One stunned passenger said: “We couldn’t believe what we were seeing. The pilot was frog-marched off the aircraft.
“A couple of police officers stormed on to the plane as we were all sitting down and went straight for the cockpit.
“We didn’t have a clue what was happening and we were kept waiting on the plane for hours.
“It is horrifying to think we were apparently so close to being flown thousands of miles by somebody who could have been drinking.
“It was a horrible start to our trip but if it wasn’t for the person who called the cops, our dream holiday could have become a nightmare.”
Click to read more from The Sun


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This is more than a little disconcerting on so many levels. Where do British police come off storming onto a piece of American soil, scaring our passengers, customers, and citizens. The Captain and the rest of the crew had already been on duty with that FO for a couple of hours at least. If there had been a real issue, the crew would have done something about it.

Scary stuff. These days, it seems that you don't need to have proof, or reasonable cause. Just the suggestion is enough.

I wonder, would they have do so if it was a British Airways aircraft? Or would they have so to the First Mate of the QM2?
 
Well, an american airplane in flight in international airspace is considered American territory is it not? I know it was on the ground in England, but still, to just storm on the airplane and hustle the pilot off is...i don't even know how to describe it. Just not cool.
 
Well I don't know if it would be designated American soil....but I do agree, if their had been a real problem I figured one of the flight crew would have said something.
 
Well, an american airplane in flight in international airspace is considered American territory is it not? I know it was on the ground in England, but still, to just storm on the airplane and hustle the pilot off is...i don't even know how to describe it. Just not cool.
A US Military Airplane is considered "Sovereign Territory" not a civilian one. Same reason why US Military airplanes can't fly over certain countries but civil ones can.
 
This is a very limited article posted. According to the other articles that were out yesterday from Telegraph UK:

The FO missed the morning van because he overslept. The CA woke him and the FO him to follow in a taxi.
He arrived to the airport trying to use his passport as ID because he couldn't find his crew badge. But security wouldn't let him by with just a passport. This was the moment the security noticed the smell of alcohol on his breath. And they waited until he boarded the plane to make a move.


Anyhow, innocent until proven guilty. Only time will tell.
 
According to Fox, the FO failed a breathalyzer test and that is when they took the FO off the aircraft.
 
This is a very limited article posted. According to the other articles that were out yesterday from Telegraph UK:

The FO missed the morning van because he overslept. The CA woke him and the FO him to follow in a taxi.
He arrived to the airport trying to use his passport as ID because he couldn't find his crew badge. But security wouldn't let him by with just a passport. This was the moment the security noticed the smell of alcohol on his breath. And they waited until he boarded the plane to make a move.


Anyhow, innocent until proven guilty. Only time will tell.

:yeahthat:

Maybe he used some Scope that morning.
 
What exactly is "frog marched"?


I was thinking the same thing so I looked it up here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frog-march

"Frog marching refers to the practice of forcibly transporting suspects or prisoners through a public place, up to and including carrying them such that their limbs splay in a frog-like manner. (Perp walking is similar, but implies the subjects move more or less under their own power.)
Frog marching may be necessary to transport prisoners who are uncooperative or intoxicated. However, as a forced public spectacle, it may serve as well to humiliate those marched and send a message to those looking on."
 
This is more than a little disconcerting on so many levels. Where do British police come off storming onto a piece of American soil, scaring our passengers, customers, and citizens. The Captain and the rest of the crew had already been on duty with that FO for a couple of hours at least. If there had been a real issue, the crew would have done something about it.

Scary stuff. These days, it seems that you don't need to have proof, or reasonable cause. Just the suggestion is enough.

I wonder, would they have do so if it was a British Airways aircraft? Or would they have so to the First Mate of the QM2?
:confused::confused::confused:

Ummmm!! He broke British law on British soil. And as to the US carrier flying over international waters comment. NO. Only applies to Military aircraft.
 
Who cares anyways...the plane flys on its own, and besides we have more of a chance of getting hit by a drunk driver on the ground, than a drunk pilot crashing the plane.
 
:confused::confused::confused:

Ummmm!! He broke British law on British soil. And as to the US carrier flying over international waters comment. NO. Only applies to Military aircraft.
I believe this is true. Now if in fact this pilot was legally drunk and the crew did nothing about it, they're in a heap of trouble as well.

By the way, nice avatar!! :)
 
This is more than a little disconcerting on so many levels. Where do British police come off storming onto a piece of American soil, scaring our passengers, customers, and citizens.

Umm...when you go to a foreign country you have to play by their rules...US rules don't really apply anymore.
 
Wait a sec...Scope can make you fail a breathalyzer?

Wikipedia:

This was clearly illustrated in a study conducted with Listerine mouthwash on a breath machine and reported in an article entitled "Field Sobriety Testing: Intoxilyzers and Listerine Antiseptic," published in the July 1985 issue of The Police Chief (p. 70). Seven individuals were tested at a police station, with readings of .00%. Each then rinsed his mouth with 20 milliliters of Listerine mouthwash for 30 seconds in accordance with directions on the label. All seven were then tested on the machine at intervals of one, three, five and ten minutes. The results indicated an average reading of .43 blood-alcohol concentration, indicating a level that, if accurate, approaches lethal proportions. After three minutes, the average level was still .20, despite the absence of any alcohol in the system. Even after five minutes, the average level was .11
 
Wait a sec...Scope can make you fail a breathalyzer?
We just had a class for DoT on drug and alcohol suspicion. Yes scope, hand sanitizer can all make you fail a breathalizer if you take the test immediately. However if you wait about 10 minutes, and retake the test, the alcohol has disapated enough that it no longer shows up. So that's why they take the test back at the police station.
 
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