• A Southwest Airlines pilot was arrested for allegedly being intoxicated before a flight.
• The incident occurred at Savannah/Hilton Head Airport, leading to a major delay for passengers.
• The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer alerted police after noticing the pilot's condition.
• David Allsop, 52, was charged with DUI and has been removed from duty by Southwest Airlines.

A Southwest Airlines pilot, David Paul Allsop, has been arrested for allegedly attempting to pilot a flight while under the influence. The incident took place on Wednesday morning at Savannah/Hilton Head Airport in Georgia, just before he was scheduled to operate a flight to Chicago-Midway. The pilot was reportedly removed from the cockpit by local authorities after a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer observed that he "smelled of alcohol and appeared intoxicated."

According to statements from the TSA, the officer's vigilance led to police being contacted when Allsop was seen struggling to maintain his balance and failing a sobriety test. He refused to undergo a blood test, which is crucial given that federal regulations mandate a blood-alcohol concentration of no more than 0.04 for crew members. Allsop claimed to have consumed light beers the night before, yet he exhibited bloodshot eyes during the encounter with authorities [source: ABC News].

The scheduled Flight 3772 was set for takeoff shortly after 6:00 a.m., but due to the incident, it was delayed for nearly five hours as Southwest worked to find a replacement pilot for the flight. Following his arrest, Allsop was charged with driving under the influence (DUI) and subsequently released on bail set at $3,500. Southwest Airlines has since expressed regret over the disruption caused to passengers and stated that Allsop has been "removed from duty" [source: The Daily Beast].

This event serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safety protocols in the aviation industry; the TSA highlighted that their motto, "see something, say something," played a crucial role in preventing a potentially hazardous situation from escalating.