There’s a new bodycam video going viral because it shows the arrest of a Southwest Airlines pilot being removed from the cockpit at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV). The 28-minute video shows the whole process and the field sobriety test that pilot David Paul Allsop, 52, had to take on the ramp.
The two airport police officers ask him if he’s been drinking because a TSA officer smelled alcohol on the captain. Allsop said he had a few beers the night before at a pub. The officer asked him to define a few and he said three.
After doing the field sobriety test Allsop was escorted out of the airport, handcuffed and arrested. I didn’t see where Allsop failed the test since he didn’t seem to stumble, but I couldn’t see in his eyes or smell, which the officer said was his main concern.
Allsop tried to blame his Kodiak chewing tobacco, which he had in his mouth, but the officers agreed it smelled minty and not like the Miller beers he said he drank.
Allsop also said he didn’t go through TSA but through KCM, which is short for Known Crew Member, their own entrance where crew members aren’t subject to the same rules.
The incident happened on January 15 and his arrest delayed Flight 3772 to Chicago by nearly five hours. Southwest Airlines removed Allsop from duty and he was later charged with DUI, posting a $3,500 bond.
I asked one of my pilot friends about this and he said it’s definitely a problem. When my buddy did his pilot training, the supervisor said, look around. 10% of the population are alcoholics so do the math, there’s a good chance some of you are too.
If you do drink, don’t do it while working. FAA regulations prohibit pilots from flying within eight hours of drinking or with a blood alcohol level above 0.04%. Some airlines even have stricter rules.
My buddy said there’s been times when he was a first officer and he knew the pilot was drunk but was afraid to say something in fear of retribution. And if the captain was really drunk he would say, “Are you sure you’re okay to fly today? I think you should call in sick,” because if the airline or police catch you, your career is over.
Here are some of the top comments from the Facebook group I found this on:
A Fly Guy’s Cabin Crew Lounge: I think US airlines need to step up their random tests as it always seems to be airport security finding the drunk pilots.
A Fly Guy’s Cabin Crew Lounge: One thing I loved about Emirates is how serious they took testing and people were very good at following the rules. They would send their nurses to layovers famous for parties that would wait for us in the lobby at pickup to random test us. Had tests in Bangkok and Sydney hotel lobby toilets and it kept us pretty honest.
Kevin V.: Rather than some old fashioned, outdated, unreliable sobriety test (we aren’t living in the 19th century), why do you not carry modern breathalyzers which will immediately tell you about someone’s alcohol state, without all this delay for all concerned?
Josh S.: Didn’t notice him struggling at all with the field sobriety test. Could you point out where he was having issues?
Peter B.: He doesn’t look drunk to me
Juan C.: 8 hours, from bottle to throttle!
Matt F.: I’ve been randomly tested twice in 3 years, I always found it funny that they test you after the flight. But besides that, it’s a see something say something. I bet the FO got a sigh of relief when the cops showed because he didn’t have to have the “this plane isn’t going anywhere” standoff with Cappy.
Edwin R.: A lawyer will easily win this DUI, the floor that he is doing the sobriety test on is not an even floor 🤷🏽♂️
