“Highly Intoxicated” Pilot Removed From Cockpit, Passengers Stranded

Portuguese airline Portugalia had to apologize to passengers this weekend when, shortly before takeoff, one of their pilots was pulled out of the cockpit for being “extremely drunk” and the flight was canceled.

Police officers came to investigate after an airport employee reported seeing the pilot “reeking of alcohol,” and stumbling on his way to the flight.

The 40-year-old co-pilot had his license suspended and the 106 passengers on his flight, who were previously en route to Lisbon, were left stranded in Germany for three days while waiting for the next flight out.

TAP Air Portugal, Portugalia’s parent airline, says that they will be looking into the incident.

For more on this story, head to The Local.