Passengers on flight TP523, which was cancelled Friday after a co-pilot was found to be drunk, will likely have to wait until Monday to be flown from Stuttgart to Lisbon.
Monday was “at the moment, the first day with seats available,” TAP Air Portugal said via Twitter, answering a tweet from a passenger who had complained about the long wait for a substitute flight.
Passengers stayed in a hotel Friday night as they waited to be rescheduled because there wasn’t a replacement crew available to fly them to Lisbon.
The flight from Stuttgart to Lisbon was stopped shortly before take-off on Friday when an airport worker discovered that the co-pilot seemed unsteady on his feet and reeked of alcohol, police and the state prosecutor’s office said.
The worker informed airport police and aviation authorities, who determined that the 40-year-old was unfit to fly. He was detained and bail was set at 10,000 euros (12,300 dollars).
He was also asked to surrender his flying licence.
Police declined to give any additional details.
The 106 passengers had to be put up in hotels because the airline could not provide a fresh flight crew at short notice. (dpa/NAN)