Virgin pilot to miss British Christmas
The Virgin Atlantic pilot accused of attempting to fly a plane whilst drunk yesterday appeared in a United States court via video link.
A total of 383 Virgin Atlantic passengers had to endure a 26-hour delay to their flight following the arrest of allegedly drunken pilot. Virgin was forced to cancel flight VS 022 from Washington DC to London.
Yesterday, Captain Richard Harwell, dressed in an orange jumpsuit, appeared on closed circuit TV from prison.
He spent the weekend at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Centre in Leesburg, about 40 miles west of Washington DC.
Fifty-five year old Mr Harwell was granted bail of £14,300 and ordered not to leave the country.
Capt Harwell, a US citizen but resident of Kirtlington, Oxfordshire, had a previously unblemished 14-year record with Virgin, but now faces up to five years in prison if found guilty.
Virgin operates a zero-tolerance policy on drink and drugs.
