SCOTLAND – A pilot with United Airlines was taken into custody in Scotland after airport security discovered a Taser in his luggage. As a result, a flight bound for Newark, New Jersey from Edinburgh was canceled on Saturday and passengers had to be re-booked on other flights.
According to Edinburgh Live, the identity of the pilot — who was led away in handcuffs by four armed officers — has not yet been released, but is said to be a 56-year-old male citizen of the U.S.
The pilot was charged with a weapons offense, as it is illegal in the UK to possess a Taser. He is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, the New York Post reported.
(Kim Traynor via Wikipedia Commons)
The arrest and subsequent canceled flight left many disgruntled passengers who were hoping to fly to New Jersey Saturday morning.
United Airlines issued a brief statement, saying, “This employee was immediately removed from service and we are fully cooperating with local authorities.”
Law enforcement officials in Scotland also confirmed the pilot’s arrest, saying a report will be “submitted to the Procurator Fiscal,” which is the country’s public prosecutor’s office.
