A 52-year-old Southwest Airlines pilot, 52-year-old David Paul Allsop, was arrested back in January 2025 for allegedly being intoxicated before takeoff. Newly released bodycam footage shows the moment Allsop is arrested after allegedly failing a sobriety test.
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As reported by View from the Wing, Allsop was supposed to pilot Southwest Airlines 3772 from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport on January 15.
However, after passing through a TSA checkpoint, airport police were alerted by screeners who had allegedly smelled alcohol.
Officers then met Allsop, who was already onboard the plane.
Failed Sobriety Test
As shown in the bodycam footage shared by the New York Post, Allsop admits to drinking the previous night, “about 10 hours ago.” The video shows the pilot saying he had had “a few beers.”
Initially, when asked, Allsop denied one officer’s request for a sobriety test, saying, “There’s no need.”
However, Allsop eventually complied after the officer said, “Well, I can smell an odor consistent with an alcoholic beverage.”
Allsop failed the sobriety test on the jet bridge, according to the police. He was placed under arrest and handcuffed in front of his fellow crew members. While ABC7 reported that passengers were already on board, View from the Wing, in contrast, said that passengers were yet to board the Southwest flight.
An arrest report obtained by ABC7 revealed that David Paul Allsop was charged with driving under the influence. He was booked into Chatham County Jail on a $3,500 bond at the time.
The flight was delayed for hours while Southwest searched for a replacement pilot to take the place of Allsop.
Reportedly, Allsop’s pilot license was revoked in March 2025. A statement shared with ABC7 revealed that Allsop was “removed from duty.” According to his LinkedIn profile, he had worked for the airline for more than 19 years.
“We’re aware of a situation involving an Employee on Flight 3772 this morning from Savannah,” the statement read. “The Employee has been removed from duty. Customers were accommodated on other flights, and we apologize for the disruption to their travel plans.”
“There’s nothing more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Employees and Customers.”