Flight Grounded As Pilots Are Arrested On Suspicion Of Being Drunk

A flight from Scotland to Canada was grounded shortly before take-off after two pilots were arrested on suspicion of being drunk.

Staff at Air Transat are understood to have raised the alarm after the men, aged 39 and 37, were seen acting strangely.

The pilots were arrested on suspicion of being “impaired through alcohol” before the aeroplane, carrying up to 250 passengers, was due to depart from Glasgow on Monday afternoon.

A spokeswoman said: “Police Scotland can confirm that two men aged 39 and 37 years have been arrested in relation to being allegedly impaired through alcohol under the Railway and Transport Safety Act 2003 (Section 93).”

Air Transat confirmed the arrest of its employees.

“We will await the results of the investigation and judicial proceedings before commenting on the matter before making any further comments,” a spokesperson said.

“The safety of our crews and passengers is, and will remain, a top priority at Air Transat

The airline is believed to have originally kept quiet about the reasons behind the delay of Air Transat A310, bound for Toronto.

One Twitter user said: “22 hr delay. Thinking the op issue was more of a staff issue, police involved, why? Answers plz airtransat.”

Apologising for the delay to Sean Brown, who had been on holiday in Scotland from Ontario, the airline tweeted “for operational reasons we have no choice”.

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