An American Airlines co-pilot who was arrested at Detroit Metro Airport for allegedly being drunk on Saturday has been charged.
According to Wayne County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Maria Miller, John McGuire, 50, has been charged with a misdemeanor of Operating an Aircraft while Under the Influence.
Miller said it is believed McGuire was in the cockpit and under the influence of alcohol when he was detained and arrested around 6:30 a.m. Saturday.
American Airlines Flight 736 was scheduled to leave Detroit just before 7 a.m. and land around 8:45 a.m. in Philadelphia but it was canceled.
According to DTW, TSA officers notified the airport authority they should check the co-pilot out because of the way he was acting.
DTW spokesman Michael Conway said the pilot failed a breathalyzer test and taken into custody by the Wayne County Airport Authority before being turned over to Romulus police, where he failed another breathalyzer test.
American Airlines released this statement:
“This is a serious matter and we are assisting local law enforcement and the Federal Aviation Administration with the investigation. We will handle this matter appropriately as the safety and care of our customers and employees is our highest priority. Flight 736 has cancelled and we are reaccommodating our customers on other flights. We apologize to our customers for the disruption to their travel plans”
