A 63-year-old United Airlines pilot had his license revoked for a year for showing up drunk when he took up his duties in France. He was also sentenced to six months in prison, which was suspended.

On July 23, 2023, the pilot is said to have appeared at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport in the said condition. From there he was to fly a long-haul United Airlines flight to Washington-Dulles. However, this did not happen because a police officer became suspicious during a regular exit check.

The hearing before the French examining magistrate took place on July 25, 2023. The police officer who "pulled the pilot out of service" had to testify there as a witness. Among other things, he stated that the United pilot had shown obvious signs of intoxication and therefore the police officer is said to have asked for a positive alcohol test as part of his duty.

The pilot concerned did not deny in court that he was under the influence of alcohol. He downplayed the extent, however, saying that he only drank and drank before the flight, which was supposed to take off at 17:00 p.m. local time.

But that didn't convince the judge. Since the man otherwise confessed, the French court upheld a six-month suspended prison sentence, a fine of 4.500 euros and a one-year suspension of his pilot's license. The pilot can still appeal against the decision under French law.

United Airlines had to cancel flight UA331 on the day of the incident because it was unable to find a replacement for the "pulled" pilot at short notice. 267 passengers were affected. In this context, the judge also pointed out in his reasoning that the man could have endangered 267 guests plus crew through his alcohol consumption.

The airline concerned reacted immediately to the incident and suspended the pilot, who, at least for the time being, is no longer allowed to fly due to a lack of a license. In a statement, United Airlines said, among other things, “The safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority. We hold all of our employees to the highest standards and have a strict alcohol non-tolerance policy.”