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Pilots arrested in Glasgow over 'alcohol impairment' | Pilots arrested in Glasgow over 'alcohol impairment' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Two pilots have been arrested at Glasgow Airport in relation to being allegedly impaired through alcohol. | Two pilots have been arrested at Glasgow Airport in relation to being allegedly impaired through alcohol. |
The BBC understands the men were a captain and first officer of the Canadian airline, Air Transat. | The BBC understands the men were a captain and first officer of the Canadian airline, Air Transat. |
The Airbus A330 was due to fly from Glasgow to Toronto on Monday afternoon with 345 passengers and nine crew on board. | The Airbus A330 was due to fly from Glasgow to Toronto on Monday afternoon with 345 passengers and nine crew on board. |
The pilots, aged 39 and 37, were arrested under the Railways and Transport Safety Act. | The pilots, aged 39 and 37, were arrested under the Railways and Transport Safety Act. |
They are due to appear at Paisley sheriff court. | They are due to appear at Paisley sheriff court. |
Air Transat apologised to those customers affected and offered passengers compensation of 200 Canadian dollars off their next flight as a "goodwill gesture". | |
In a letter it said: "Please accept our sincere apologies for the disruption caused by the delay of your flight. While it is our policy to do everything within our power to ensure on-time performance, regrettably, this is not always the possible." | |
The company said the safety of its crews and passengers was its top priority and that it would await the results of court proceedings before commenting further. | |
What the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 says | What the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 says |
The pilots were arrested under section 93 of the Act. | The pilots were arrested under section 93 of the Act. |
It focuses on the limit of any alcohol consumption and says it is an offence to perform or prepare to perform certain aviation-related functions with more than a prescribed level of alcohol in the body. | It focuses on the limit of any alcohol consumption and says it is an offence to perform or prepare to perform certain aviation-related functions with more than a prescribed level of alcohol in the body. |
That limit is set at 20 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood for those activities carried out by aircrew and air traffic controllers. In the case of breath, nine microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres are allowed and in urine the limit is 27 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres. | That limit is set at 20 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood for those activities carried out by aircrew and air traffic controllers. In the case of breath, nine microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres are allowed and in urine the limit is 27 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres. |
The drink-drive limit in Scotland is more than twice the blood limit, which currently stands at 50mg in 100ml and reflects the speed of reaction needed by aircrew and air traffic controllers to respond to potential emergency situations. | |
Aviation functions can be defined as acting as a pilot during a flight, acting as navigator of an aircraft or as a flight radio-telephony operator during a flight, as well as acting as a member of the cabin crew. | Aviation functions can be defined as acting as a pilot during a flight, acting as navigator of an aircraft or as a flight radio-telephony operator during a flight, as well as acting as a member of the cabin crew. |
Anyone convicted of committing an offence under the act can face up to two years in prison or a fine or both. | Anyone convicted of committing an offence under the act can face up to two years in prison or a fine or both. |
The flight, which should have departed on Monday at 13:00, was rescheduled to leave Glasgow Airport on Tuesday morning. | The flight, which should have departed on Monday at 13:00, was rescheduled to leave Glasgow Airport on Tuesday morning. |
Some of the passengers checking in at Glasgow Airport said they were angry at the way they had been treated by the airline and by the lack of information from staff. | Some of the passengers checking in at Glasgow Airport said they were angry at the way they had been treated by the airline and by the lack of information from staff. |
One man told BBC Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "There is some compensation, money for flying, but I don't think that will be acceptable for anyone who's been inconvenienced for the whole day." | One man told BBC Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "There is some compensation, money for flying, but I don't think that will be acceptable for anyone who's been inconvenienced for the whole day." |
'It's our shuttle to work' | |
Glasgow-based TV presenters and interior designers, Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan, were due to be on the flight. | |
They explained that passengers had been told the plane could not take off due to "operational reasons". | |
Mr Ryan, who along with Mr McAllister presents a TV show in Canada, said it was a "real hassle" that their flight had been delayed "first by a couple of hours, then by 21 hours, and then cancelled". | |
He added: "That flight for us is essentially our shuttle to work, we come backwards and forwards to Glasgow maybe 20 times, 30 times a year. | |
"It is one of those things, we have had a lot of really good experiences and one really awful one in light of what has allegedly happened." |