And other travel news stories you may have missed.
This week in travel, we’ve uncovered several stories that might have flown under your radar. Among them: a court fines urinating passenger, an allegedly drunk pilot is arrested in Savannah, and one airline’s ad campaign has released anger and a government inquiry.
Dive into these and more as we examine the latest in travel news.
NO.1
ALLEGEDLY DRUNK SOUTHWEST PILOT ARRESTED BEFORE TAKEOFF
Authorities removed pilot David Paul Allsop from a Southwest Airlines cockpit and later arrested him last Wednesday in Savannah. During a crew member check-in at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, Allsop was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol, CNN reports. The police arrived as Allsop was conducting pre-flight checks and asked him to step outside to the jet bridge. Officers said they detected an odor of alcohol on him and asked when he had his last drink, to which he replied, “Last night.” He then failed the field sobriety test on the bridge and was arrested.
The police noted that Allsop allegedly had bloodshot eyes and a flushed complexion. He did not consent to a state-mandated blood test and was bonded out of jail. Southwest said that the pilot has been removed from duty and apologized for the disruption.
NO.2
PASSENGER WHO URINATED ON FLIGHT FINED €10,000
An American passenger who became unruly on a flight from Amsterdam to New York earlier this month and caused a diversion to Dublin has now been ordered to pay €10,000 ($10,400) by an Irish court.
Thirty-four-year-old Zachary Greear mixed Xanax with alcohol to ward off anxiety and stress during the flight and became disruptive on the transatlantic journey. He urinated on his seat and in the aisle, prompting the pilot to divert the flight to Dublin for an emergency landing. He was arrested upon landing but didn’t know where he was.
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The climate research analyst pleaded guilty after being arrested. Greear, who has no previous convictions, apologized for his actions and expressed that he was horrified and embarrassed. He submitted a written apology and agreed to pay for the cost of the diversion, offering €5,000.
The judge spared him a two-year sentence in favor of a two-month suspended sentence but noted that the amount offered didn’t begin to cover the damages and doubled the amount. Apparently, the pilot had to dump €30,000 worth of fuel to land safely.
Related: Ryanair: No More Than Two Drinks at Airports Should Be Allowed
NO.3
FAA TO INVESTIGATE NEAR-COLLISION AT PHOENIX AIRPORT
The FAA has another near-collision to investigate. Two passenger planes narrowly missed each other at Phoenix airport on January 11—a United flight and a Delta flight were both trying to land when they came within 1,217 feet of each other. The Traffic Collision Avoidance System alerted the pilots, who safely landed the planes.
There were 245 passengers on the Delta flight and 129 passengers on the United flight.
Related: There Were 46 Near-Miss Flight Collisions in the U.S. Last Month
NO.4
PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES IN HOT WATER OVER AD
On January 10, Pakistan International Airlines posted a promotional ad announcing its renewed flights to Paris. However, the image evoked memories of the 9/11 terror attacks, featuring a plane approaching the Eiffel Tower. Users were quick to call it out for being disgraceful, with one comment asking if it was a threat. The twice-weekly flights started on January 11 as the ad garnered more reproach globally. Now, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an investigation into how the ad was approved.
— PIA (@Official_PIA) January 10, 2025
NO.5
BABY GORILLA RECOVERS AT ISTANBUL ZOO AFTER BEING RESCUED FROM PLANE’S CARGO
In December, a five-month-old baby gorilla was rescued from a Turkish Airlines plane. He was being illegally transported from Nigeria to Thailand in the plane’s cargo when he was discovered at Istanbul airport. The gorilla, named Zeytin, was handed over to wildlife conservation authorities. Zeytin is now recovering at Istanbul’s Polonezkoy Zoo.
Fahrettin Ulu, regional director of Istanbul Nature Conservation and National Parks, told the Associated Press that they want the baby gorilla to continue its life in its homeland. “What is important is that an absolutely safe environment is established in the place it goes to, which is extremely important for us.” According to the veterinarian taking care of him, Zeytin has gained weight since he was discovered and is recovering from the trauma.
Gorillas are an endangered species, and it is illegal to smuggle them. Yahya Üstün, senior vice president of media relations at Turkish Airlines, told USA Today that the airline is cooperating with the investigation. “Turkish Airlines supports the goal of responsible transportation to prevent illegal wildlife trade and operates with the awareness that the responsibility for preserving the ecosystem is universal across all our destinations.”
