Imagine sitting back into your seat and getting ready to fly off to your destination only to see the pilot that was supposed to take you there led off in handcuffs.
That recently occurred on a Frontier Airlines (FRON) flight from Houston to Dallas Forth Worth International Airport (DFW) when police boarded the flight and arrested 45-year-old pilot Seymour Walker on "an assault-family violence warrant." Walker was handcuffed and led off the plane and into "custody without incident."
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As another pilot was not available on such short notice, Frontier's Flight 3195 was called off and the passengers aboard had to disembark the aircraft and wait to be redirected on other flights at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Walker had an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
'Not related to Frontier or the pilot's performance of his job duties'
"The activity occurred prior to the start of boarding for Flight 3195 scheduled from IAH to Dallas Fort Worth," Frontier said in a statement to media outlets. "The incident that led to the arrest was not related to Frontier or the pilot's performance of his job duties. A replacement crew member was not immediately available and therefore the flight was canceled."
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According to the airline, passengers also received a $100 flight voucher for the inconvenience while those who were not able to get rebooked on a same-day flight were offered a refund or additional travel credit and provided with hotel accommodations.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that it is investigating the incident after it was reported by the airline.
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'Airlines report incidents such as this to the FAA office'
"Airlines report incidents such as this to the FAA office that oversees them, and we investigate all pilot-related issues," the FAA said in a statement.
Incidents of in-plane pilot arrest periodically occur but more frequently involve alcohol-related offenses. In June 2023, a Delta Air Lines (DAL) flight from Edinburgh to New York was canceled after Scottish authorities came onboard to arrest the pilot who was supposed to take the 260 passengers aboard the Boeing 767-300ER (BA) across the Atlantic Ocean.
The reason for the arrest had to do with an elevated blood alcohol level that was tipped off to the police before the flight.
A Scottish court later sentenced Lawrence B. Russell Jr. to 10 months in jail due to the high level of responsibility for other people's lives he had in his role as a Delta pilot.
In May 2024, a hotel employee in Dallas called the police after a group of guests partying and drinking heavily into the night did not heed their requests to quiet down.
Police ended up identifying one of the guests as a Japan Airlines (JPNRF) pilot who was supposed to fly a plane full of people from Dallas to Tokyo the next morning.
Flight JL11 was then called off due to "the need to assess the captain's physical and mental well-being," but the pilot did not face further consequences as he was found to have taken his last drink within the allowed time frame of 12 hours before the scheduled flight time.
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