SAVANNAH, Ga. – David Paul Allsop, a 52-year-old Southwest Airlines pilot from Bedford, New Hampshire, was arrested for suspected driving under the influence (DUI) just before takeoff at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport on Wednesday. The arrest came after a complaint about a pilot suspected of being intoxicated during a crew member check-in.
Allsop faces a DUI charge, with bail set at $3,500. According to records from the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, he has bonded out of jail. A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office confirmed that Allsop has not yet appeared in court, though an arraignment hearing will be scheduled.
Southwest Airlines officials were quick to address the situation, acknowledging the disruption to passengers’ travel plans. “We’re aware of a situation involving an employee on Flight 3772 Wednesday morning from Savannah,” a spokesperson said. “Allsop has been removed from duty. Customers were accommodated on other flights, and we apologize for the inconvenience.”
The incident occurred early in the morning, just before Flight 3772, which was scheduled to depart for Chicago’s Midway Airport, was set to take off. Police were called to the scene around 6 a.m. after the pilot, who had been performing pre-flight checks in the cockpit, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol. The officer on duty reported smelling alcohol and noted that Allsop had bloodshot, watery eyes and a flushed complexion.
When questioned about his alcohol consumption, Allsop admitted to drinking “a few light beers” the night before. He was asked to take a field sobriety test, which he failed. He also declined a state-mandated blood test, according to the incident report. Federal aviation regulations prohibit pilots from flying within eight hours of consuming alcohol or with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04 or higher.
Allsop has been with Southwest Airlines for 18 years and is based at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in Maryland. His arrest caused a nearly five-hour delay for Flight 3772, which left Savannah later than scheduled.
Passengers on the delayed flight were left feeling uneasy. “To see that and know that that’s why I did not fly to Midway this morning, it definitely left a little odd feeling in my stomach,” said Robert Newmerch, a Southwest passenger who witnessed the event.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Southwest Airlines are investigating the incident. In 2023, the FAA reported eight pilots tested positive for alcohol out of over 17,600 pilots screened for alcohol consumption.