Tipsy Virgin pilot removed from plane
Dec 20, 2003
The captain of a Virgin Atlantic airliner about to fly from Washington to London was removed from the plane after he was suspected of being drunk.
Police at Washington's Dulles Airport were still investigating the incident involving a Boeing 747-400 jet, which was scheduled to carry 383 passengers.
"We haven't charged him with anything at this point," said Tara Hamilton, a spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority.
However, Virgin Atlantic canceled its Flight 22 to Heathrow, London's main airport, and rescheduled it for Saturday evening, an airline spokesman said.
"The pilot has been suspended with immediate effect and will face an internal inquiry," the spokesman said.
Virgin has put up the passengers at area hotels and promised them a free future flight, he said.
An airport transportation security screener alerted police that pilot might be drunk.
After an interview on the plane, the pilot was removed before any of the passengers had boarded, Hamilton said.
Reuters
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Pilot Detained After Alcohol Detected
Friday, December 19, 2003 11:06 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A Virgin Atlantic Airways pilot was detained shortly before his flight Friday night after security screeners detected alcohol on his breath, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
Virgin Atlantic Flight 22, scheduled to leave Washington Dulles International Airport for London's Heathrow at 7:15 p.m., was canceled after the pilot was escorted off the plane by airport police.
Police responded to a call by the Transportation Safety Administration reporting suspicion of a pilot being under the influence of alcohol.
The pilot had gone through security screening and boarded the plane, said Tara Hamilton, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority spokeswoman. He was being held and questioned at the airport Friday evening.
Virgin Atlantic spokesman John Riordan said 383 passengers were scheduled for the flight. They are being accommodated at hotels and are rescheduled for an evening flight Saturday.
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