No Charges Filed As Pilot Placed On Administrative Leave

As if passengers don't have enough hassle dealing with long security lines and restrictions on carry on items... A Skywest flight scheduled with 21 passengers bound for Salt Lake City, UT was delayed three hours at Joe Foss Field in Sioux Falls, SD Wednesday morning while the airline scrambled to replace one of the pilots.

Security personnel manning the metal detector smelled alcohol when the pilot passed through and called police. The responding officers boarded the aircraft and escorted the pilot off the aircraft before the flight left the gate.

In an interview with KELO TV, Police Chief Doug Barthel said, "We made contact with the pilot on the plane and determined that he had been consuming some alcohol. At that point he was removed from the plane."

It's not know at this time how much alcohol the pilot had in his system, if any. FAA limits blood alcohol content to .04%, but Skywest has a "zero tolerance" policy. No charges have been filed as yet.

While the investigation continues Skywest has placed the pilot on administrative leave.

FMI: www.skywest.com