The drunken pilot was arrested before takeoff, which would have put the lives of hundreds of passengers at risk, as the flight to Virginia was canceled at the last minute.
The 63-year-old United Airlines pilot was about to take off from Paris to a Virginia airport with 267 passengers on board when security officials were stunned to see him staggering around drunk, immediately sending the pilot for a blood-alcohol test.
Tests revealed that the French pilot’s blood alcohol content was six times the legal limit for crew.
When the pilot was brought to court, he said he had only had two glasses of alcohol that night, the judge said, adding that the plane could have crashed, putting the lives of 267 passengers at risk.
The United Airlines pilot has been sentenced to six months in prison by the court, while a fine of five thousand dollars has also been imposed.
According to United Airlines, the pilot has been suspended and the airline is cooperating fully with local authorities.
It should be noted that just one hour before the departure of the flight, the pilot was arrested and the flight had to be canceled at the last minute.