STANK OF BOOZE Armed US air marshal removed from plane at Heathrow

Posted on 05/16/2016 | About London, United Kingdom

Metropolitan police officers were called to a Los Angeles-bound plane at Heathrow’s Terminal 2 after the United Airlines captain claimed a man was trying to board under the influence of alcohol. News reports said a US air marshal, who was armed with his service weapon, was removed from the passenger jet.

A police spokesman said the man was breathalysed and arrested, but released from custody a short time later with no further action. Police were told the man ‘stank of booze’ as he arrived for the long-haul flight, according to a report in The Sun. He was removed and taken to Heathrow’s police station. The Boeing 777-200, took off two hours behind schedule., leaving passengers upset,. A source on the plane told newspaper that, “The captain smelt alcohol on the breath of one of four armed US air marshals who were on board.

“Police were called. It caused quite a scene.” A Scotland Yard spokesman told MailOnline, “On Monday, 9 May police were called at around 12:25pm following concerns by the captain of a flight due to leave Heathrow for Los Angeles that a person trying to board was under the influence of alcohol. “Officers attended and breathalysed a man, and he was subsequently arrested on suspicion of being over the prescribed limit.

“The man was taken into custody at Heathrow Police Station but released shortly after with no further action.” A police source told The Sun the man had not broken any UK laws. However, US officials are investigating, as air marshals are not allowed to consume any alcohol within four hours of a non-mission flight and eight hours of a mission flight. The Federal Air Marshal Service is part of the Transportation Security Administration and has a motto of ‘detect, deter, defeat’.

United Airlines, meanwhile, apologised to customers 'for any inconvenience caused by the delay'.