The pilot, Gabriel Lyle Schroeder, 37, of Rosemount, Minnesota, was arrested at 11 a.m., airport spokesman Patrick Hogan told CNN.
Schroeder was scheduled to fly Flight 1728 from Minneapolis to San Diego and was on the plane when he was detained by police, WCCO reported. The plane never took off, and passengers were asked to leave the plane, the television station reported.
Minnesota has a 0.04 legal alcohol limit for pilots, Hogan told the Star-Tribune. The Federal Aviation Administration also bars pilots from flying within eight hours of drinking alcohol, the newspaper reported.
Schroeder was seen leaving a Transportation Security Administration screening line for crew members when he saw here was additional screening being conducted, Hogan told CNN.
"The individual left the line, which drew suspicion," Hogan told the network.
TSA screening agents said they found the pilot with an empty bottle after he left the screening area, WCCO reported.
In a statement, Delta said its alcohol policy is “among the strictest in the industry” and "has no tolerance for violation," the television station reported.
Flight 1728 eventually took off with another pilot guiding the plane, KARE reported.
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