An American Delta Airlines pilot has been sentenced to 10 months in jail in Scotland after reporting for work intoxicated when he was scheduled to fly to New York last year.
Lawrence Barbiers Russell Jr, 63, was supposed to captain a flight from Edinburgh, Scotland, to New York City on June, 16, 2023, but he was arrested after a half-empty bottle of Jägermeister was found in his bag, and his blood alcohol content exceeded the legal limit, the court said in a statement Tuesday.
Russell, of Georgia, was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty on March 5 in Edinburgh Sheriff Court to a charge of reporting for duty as pilot while exceeding the prescribed blood alcohol limit.
His blood alcohol reading that day was found to be at least 49 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood — which exceeds Scotland’s prescribed limit for pilots of 20 milligrams. The court noted the limit for car drivers is 50 milligrams.
The day of that 2023 flight, Russell’s flight was scheduled to depart at 10:35 a.m. He arrived at Edinburgh Airport’s baggage control at 9:15 a.m. wearing his pilot’s uniform.
As he went through security, his bag was manually searched due “to the volume of liquids within it.”
“Your bag was found to contain two bottles of Jägermeister, one of which was open and was just under half full. Because you were wearing a pilot’s uniform, police were contacted,” Court Sheriff Alison Stirling wrote in a statement.
Russell told police he had drank the night prior. He failed a breath test and was reportedly “upset” after failing.
At 10:12 a.m. he was arrested and taken to the Livingston Police Office, where he agreed to give a blood sample, resulting in his blood alcohol content reading.
In the U.S. the Federal Aviation Administration has rules that pilots and crew members may not consume alcohol within eight hours of flying and cannot have a blood alcohol content level exceeding .04 percent when reporting for duty.
“Later on that day you were cautioned and charged. You indicated that you understood the caution and charge and responded ‘I’m terrified,’” Stirling wrote.
The statement said that Russell had no previous British convictions but had two previous driving under the influence instances on record.
He lost his job as a result of the June 2023 incident. The flight from Edinburgh to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York was ultimately canceled. Stirling noted that Russell was “remorseful” for his actions and the impacts to the company and passengers.
Russell was diagnosed with severe alcohol use disorder and is now in remission after completing the Talbott Recovery Skyline program, a recovery program for pilots, Stirling wrote.
The arrest also put a strain on his marriage of 35 years, but his wife and two sons have been “supportive” of him, the statement said.
“Your offence showed a high level of culpability, and a high potential for serious harm to have been done. In particular you were to be the captain on that flight, you had a half full bottle of Jägermeister with you, and the flight had to be canceled,” Stirling wrote.
Once his sentence is completed, he’ll have to apply for a new aviation medical certificate. If granted, he can be re-instated to his former position.
