Tipsy pilot caught at Schiphol

A 46-year-old pilot was caught under the influence of alcohol at Schiphol during the early hours of Sunday morning. While preparing the plane before departure, ground staff noticed that the pilot smelled of alcohol and notified the police, NOS reports.

A breathalyzer test a few hours later showed that the pilot's blood-alcohol level was 0.26. The maximum level allowed for pilots is 0.2 per mille. Aircraft personnel are not allowed to drink any alcohol 10 hours before departure.

The plane left with another pilot after a short delay. The drunk pilot remained in the Netherlands and will be fined. "Thanks to the attentiveness of the ground staff, we made flying a bit safer", the police said.

What airline the pilot flies for was not revealed for privacy reasons. According to NOS, it involves a foreign airline.