Minneapolis

Airport police arrested an American Eagle pilot Friday after he failed a blood-alcohol breath test as he prepared to fly from Minneapolis-St. Paul to New York City, authorities said.


The pilot was conducting preflight checks at about 6:30 a.m. when airport police officers acting on a tip boarded the aircraft, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport spokesman Patrick Hogan said. Officers made him take a Breathalyzer test and arrested him on suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol.

"There was a witness who smelled what they thought was alcohol on the pilot's breath and notified police," Hogan said. Passengers had not yet boarded the flight to New York's LaGuardia Airport, he said.

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The pilot has been suspended pending an investigation, said Matt Miller, a spokesman for American Airlines, which uses Eagle to operate shorter connecting flights. Both airlines are owned by AMR Corp.

The company is cooperating with authorities and will conduct an internal investigation, Miller said.

The flight was delayed about 2 ½ hours while a replacement pilot was arranged, he said.

After the pilot was taken to Fairview Southdale Hospital to have a blood sample taken for testing, he was returned to the custody of airport police, Hogan said.

The alcohol limit for flying is generally lower than for driving a car. Federal rules prohibit pilots from flying within eight hours of drinking alcohol or having a blood-alcohol level of 0.04 percent or higher, half the level allowed for motorists in many states.

Pilots face drug and alcohol testing when they seek a job, are involved in an accident or return from alcohol rehabilitation. Some are selected for random tests. More than 10,000 pilots are tested each year and about a dozen flunk the alcohol part — a number that has remained mostly steady for more than a decade, according to federal statistics.

Twelve pilots failed the breath test in 2011, 10 in 2010, and 11 in 2009, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

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Ok, what has this to do with TSA screenings?

Agreed. Even the Airport Police have the authority to invoke a DUI arrest on a pilot. But the TSA? At least I know for a fact LAX has its OWN police force.

Most larger airports have some sort of security, or it is provided by local sheriffs or police.

What I am finding very strange is that at LAX TSA always calls for police intervention. They don't do the arresting as far as I know. This sounds weird, what the hell is the TSA doing on the ramp? I never see them patrolling the ramp at air ports. I do see the police doing it though.

And the Airport Police here are LAPD. They are associated with Inglewood Court House and the Inglewood jurisdiction. That is where they usually send people for processing.

I think the TSA is a redundancy that doesn't do much good. I would prefer to see more air marshals on planes. A lot of the screening could be handled by the local PD anyways. And on top of that screening for explosives is still done the same old way it was done ten years ago!

Dang! I thought there would have at the least been pics of cavity searches.

I went through TSA screening last year. I was all oiled up and ready after all the stories I had read. All I got was blue balls. Not even a hint that I'd get the first class rub down.

Recommended: Bare feet to pat-downs: Five big changes in TSA screening at airports

Who signs the final order to what actions TSA takes?

I mean, geeze. Ya' don't like what TSA does, you have to go to the top of the chain to get changes done.

You want the Whitehouse address so you can bich the leader out?

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but, Barry holds the pen that is restricting all our movements.

I don't think you sorry for anything you say about President Obama. BTW Doesn't a President usually sign most Final orders.

BYE...

Yer right. I'm not sorry. Nor, was I sorry fo bashing the Bush for invading Iraq.
He's just another wanna'be dicktater puppet used to help fulfill the prophecy.
Why do you adore a mass murderer?

Where did I say I adore him!! He is YOUR president whether you like it are Not ! Presidents sign orders, that is what they ALL do when they are in Office.

With the same pen he could veto the order, children would live and TSA wouldn't have the powers they have, no?

Is he YOUR president?...So it's all your fault then for not bringing him up better...shame on you! LMAO
You should give that spoiled brat a good sound spanking!!

On the subject of the TSA...You DO realize those undignified scans & body pat-downs are just the foreplay before they screw you....At least now they give you foreplay. In the old days it was just wham, bam, Thank you Wallet.

Obama is not my president.

The election was a sham and a scam. As far as I am concerned he is not the president. At least he is not MY president.