United Airlines tightens alcohol rules for pilots after Glasgow Airport incident

United Airlines has tightened rules around alcohol after one of its pilots appeared in court accused of failing a breath test ahead of a flight from Scotland to the US.

Glendon Gulliver was charged under the Railways and Transport Safety Act but made no plea.

The 61-year-old, of Colorado, was granted bail at Paisley Sheriff Court on Tuesday.

A United Airlines flight from Glasgow to Newark was cancelled on Saturday August 3 after Gulliver and his co-pilot were arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of drink or drugs.

The law states the alcohol limit for pilots is nine micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - less than half the 22 micrograms limit for drivers in Scotland.

United Airlines has now lengthened the amount of time from when a pilot drinks to when they take control of a flight.

A spokeswoman for the company confirmed it is now 12 hours when previously it had been eight.

The other pilot, 45, who was arrested for allegedly failing a breath test ahead of the same flight, was released without charge before the hearing.

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