Pilot Lawrence Russell Jr of Delta Air Lines Sentenced to Jail for 10 Months for Drunken Flying Attempt

Lawrence Russell Jr., 63, a pilot, has been jailed for 10 months after he was found drunk while in charge of a transatlantic flight, a Boeing 767 plane, to JFK airport, New York, from Edinburgh. This incident occurred on June 16, 2023, reported The Guardian.

The Delta Air Lines pilot was found to be at approximately 2.5 times the aviation alcohol limit.

Lawrence Russell Jr, Delta Air Lines pilot Sentenced to 10 Months Jail

In June 2023, the pilot was also caught at Edinburgh airport during a bag search when he went through an X-ray security machine with “two bottles of Jägermeister.” He was holding the alcohol bottles in his hand luggage. One of the bottles was half empty.

The captain admitted that the alcohol belonged to him. He was dressed in a pilot’s uniform and wore a lanyard with the term “Delta” featured on it.

CBS News reported that police apprehended Capt. Lawrence Russell Jr. and obtained a sample that read, “not less than 49mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood.”

However, according to aviation rules and regulations, the strict legal aviation limit is set at just “20mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood.”

On Tuesday, at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, the 63-year-old was sentenced after pleading guilty in March 2024. He admitted to reporting for his duty as a pilot while drunk.

A court statement by Sheriff Alison Stirling mentioned that jailing Russell for 10 months had to be imposed for “punishment and the protection of the public.” The sheriff added that the pilot had two existing convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol in the US.

Pamela Rodgers, the defense agent, told CNN that no more information can be shared to preserve confidentiality.

Moreover, she stated to the court that her remorseful client was a recovering alcoholic who had not drunk alcohol for 277 days and had completed the 12 steps of a recovery rehabilitation program.

Procurator fiscal for Lothian and Borders, Lynne Barrie, responded to the sentence by stating, “Lawrence Russell’s conduct could have endangered many lives; the consequences could have been catastrophic.”

He added,

“He showed a reckless disregard for the safety of his passengers and crew. The pilot of a commercial aircraft holds the lives of hundreds in his hands. He would have put all of them at serious risk. This conviction should send the message that crimes of this nature will be robustly dealt with.”

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