A Delta Airlines pilot has been arrested after allegedly turning up drunk and forcing the cancellation of a flight bound for New York from Scotland last week.
Delta Airlines flight 209 was scheduled to depart from Edinburgh Airport at 10:35am on Friday for a seven-and-a-half-hour journey to John F. Kennedy International Airport.
But the flight never departed and it was later revealed the pilot, who has only been identified as a 61-year-old man, was arrested at about 10am, police said.
He was arrested on suspicion of violating the UK's Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003, which bars pilots and other transport operators from being impaired on the job.
Delta Airlines confirmed the flight was cancelled and customers were re-accommodated on other flights.
"We apologise to customers impacted by this cancellation," Delta Airlines said.
It's unclear whether the pilot is still employed by Delta and the airline wouldn't comment on it.
"Delta is assisting the authorities with their ongoing (investigation)", the spokesperson said.
A representative of the Airline Pilots Association declined to say whether the suspect is a member or whether the union is providing any legal representation, according
Delta operates daily flights from Edinburgh Airport to New York, Boston and Atlanta.
