LONDON (AFP) – Police charged a United Airlines pilot on suspicion of being drunk as he was about to help fly a passenger plane fromHeathrow Airport, a spokesman said.Erwin Vermont Washington, 51, was charged with "exceeding the proscribed alcohol limit" after his arrest at the world's busiest airport a day earlier, police said late on Tuesday/
Washington, of Lakewood, Colorado, was charged with "being aviation staff performing an aviation function whilst exceeding the proscribed alcohol limit," the police spokesman said.
The pilot was arrested on Monday afternoon before the plane carrying 124 passengers and 11 crew was due to depart for Chicago, Scotland Yard and the airline said earlier Tuesday.
Flight 949 was cancelled and the pilot was suspended, a United Airlines spokeswoman told AFP.
"Safety is our highest priority and the pilot has been removed from service while we are cooperating with authorities and conducting a full investigation," she said.
"United's alcohol policy is among the strictest in the industry and we have no tolerance for violation of this well-established policy."
A spokesman for BAA, the company that runs Heathrow, said: "He was reported to police by United Airlines staff. I believe departure was imminent."
The pilot was taken to Heathrow police station on Monday and later released on bail pending the results of alcohol tests, the Scotland Yard spokesman said.
He will appear at Uxbridge magistrates' court in northwest London on November 20.
The Independent said on its website that passengers were told to disembark because the pilot was sick. They were later put on to other flights.link.....
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