Two United Airlines pilots are arrested at Glasgow airport because they were 'too drunk to fly the plane to New York'

  • Concerns were reportedly raised over the two United Airlines pilots 
  • Their plane was due to depart from Glasgow airport to New Jersey at 9am 
  • Police said the two men - aged 35 and 45 - were arrested and detained 
  • The flight, carrying 141 passengers, eventually took off on Saturday  

Two pilots were arrested for allegedly being too drunk to fly passengers from Scotland to the US.  

Concerns were raised over the pilots before the 9am United Airlines UA162 flight to Newark, New Jersey, was due to depart from Glasgow Airport on Saturday.

Police said the two men - aged 35 and 45 - were arrested and detained in police custody.

Passengers complained they were left in the dark for hours with little information from United Airlines before the plane finally took off with new crew.

The arrests come little more than a month after two Canadian pilots were charged with being drunk as they prepared to fly a passenger jet from Scotland to Toronto. 

Concerns were reportedly raised over the pilots before the 9am United Airlines UA162 flight to Newark, New Jersey, was due to depart from Glasgow Airport (stock)

Concerns were reportedly raised over the pilots before the 9am United Airlines UA162 flight to Newark, New Jersey, was due to depart from Glasgow Airport (stock)

In the more recent incident, the flight, carrying 141 passengers, eventually took off on Saturday evening.

The men are expected to appear at Paisley Sheriff Court on Monday.

A source told the Daily Record: 'Concerns were raised and police were called.

'There was a fair police presence as it's a sensitive and highly secure part of airport.

'Staff are subject to intensive and thorough security procedures in just the same way as passengers. No chances are taken nowadays.' 

The pilots were due to part of a three-man crew onboard. But it's thought the plane's captain was not involved.   

A Police Scotland spokesman said: 'Police Scotland can confirm that two men aged 35 and 45 have been arrested and are presently detained in police custody in connection with alleged offences under the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003, Section 93.'

Passenger Erin Richmond tweeted United Airlines to find out what was going on 

Passenger Erin Richmond tweeted United Airlines to find out what was going on 

The airline replied and promised to send information about the incident via a direct message

The airline replied and promised to send information about the incident via a direct message

Police said the two men - aged 35 and 45 - were arrested and detained in police custody

Police said the two men - aged 35 and 45 - were arrested and detained in police custody

A spokesman for United Airlines said: 'The two pilots have been removed from service and their flying duties.

'We are cooperating with the authorities and will conduct our own investigation as well. The safety of our customers and crew is our highest priority.'

The section of the Act relates to carrying out pilot function or activity while exceeding the prescribed limit of alcohol.

A spokesman for Glasgow Airport added: 'We are aware of the police incident yesterday involving two pilots.'

The incident follows the appearance in court last month of two Canadian pilots charged with being drunk as they prepared to fly a passenger jet from Scotland to Toronto.

Jean-Francois Perreault, 39, and Imran Zafar Syed, 37, were arrested on July 18, before they were due to take off on the Air Transat flight from Glasgow Airport.

The men were remanded in custody when they first appeared at Paisley Sheriff Court, also charged under section 93 of the same Act.

At a second hearing at the same court they were granted bail on condition they surrender their passports. 

For pilots, the limit of alcohol in the case of breath is nine microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres, according to the Act. 

United Airlines, which has 87,500 employees, charged up to £600 for seats on the 3,200-mile flight.    

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