Alcohol test for pilot delays flight

DALLAS, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- An American Airlines flight to Cancun, Mexico, was delayed because its pilot was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol, officials said.

Flight 1211 from Dallas-Fort Worth with 161 passengers and six crew members was held up Wednesday afternoon, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Thursday.

American Airlines would not say if the pilot of the Boeing 757 jet was drunk. Two area television stations said the pilot passed a blood-alcohol test.

"Safety is our first priority," American Airlines spokeswoman Mary Sanderson said. "If there is any question at all our standard procedure is to remove the crew member and replace that crew member so the aircraft and its passengers can be on our way."

Passengers were given a food voucher and the option of remaining on the plane, or deplaning until the flight could resume. The delay lasted about 4 hours, but poor weather was responsible for about half of the delay, the airline said.

It is against the law for an airline pilot to fly within 8 hours of consuming alcohol, the report said. The Federal Aviation Administration was aware of the incident, but was awaiting the results of American's internal investigation before taking action, said Lynn Lunsford, FAA spokesman.