Delta Air Lines Arrested, Charged With Being Under Influence

A Delta Air Lines pilot was arrested in Scotland for allegedly being over the alcohol limit.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 62-year-old Delta pilot Lawrence Russell Jr. was arrested in Edinburgh on Friday at around 10 a.m. local time and charged Monday under Section 93 of the Railways and Transportation Safety Act.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said Russell made no plea to the charge and has been remanded in custody. The pilot is due in court again within the next eight days.

Court records show that Russell was scheduled to pilot Delta Flight DL209 on a transatlantic journey from Edinburgh to New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, but the carrier was forced to cancel the flight and reschedule flights for passengers.

“Delta confirms that one of its crew was taken into custody this morning at EDI Airport,” an airline spokesperson told The Associated Press. “Delta is assisting the authorities with their ongoing enquiries. We apologize to customers impacted by the cancellation.”

Delta officials told ABC News that its alcohol policy is “among the strictest in the industry” and that the airline is “cooperating with local authorities” as they continue their investigation. 

On a more positive note, Delta and LATAM Group announced last week the addition of joint venture routes as the companies grow their combined network between North and South America.

As part of the expanded partnership, LATAM Airlines Colombia will launch new daily service between Miami and Medellin, starting on October 29, and operating on Airbus A320 aircraft offering Premium Economy and Economy cabins.

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