Pilot arrested before take-off

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Passengers on the Virgin Atlantic flight from Heathrow were delayed for around an hour, after the pilot was breathalysed and arrested by the Metropolitan Police.

Virgin Atlantic had to find another pilot to fly the plane to New York's JFK airport following the incident, which happened while the aircraft was at the terminal gate.

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: "Officers at Heathrow Airport arrested a 47-year-old male pilot on board a Virgin Atlantic flight en route to JFK."

The pilot was arrested under the section of the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 which relates to being over the limit on drink or drugs while "performing an aviation function".

The legal limit for pilots, navigators, flight engineers and cabin crew on flights is 9 microgrammes of alcohol in breath, compared to 35 microgrammes for motorists. The pilot was bailed to a date in May, the police spokeswoman added.

In a statement, Virgin Atlantic confirmed one of its pilots had been released on police bail following the allegation.

"The pilot was due to operate a flight from Heathrow. Virgin Atlantic provided a replacement for the flight which departed just over an hour later than scheduled from Heathrow," the statement said.

"Virgin Atlantic would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused and would like to reassure passengers that the airline will be investigating this matter thoroughly in accordance with its strict company policies in relation to operational staff.

"The safety and security of its passengers and crew is Virgin Atlantic's top priority."