Airline Pilot Arrested On Alcohol Charge

United Airlines says one of its pilots has been arrested by police for being over the legal alcohol limit.

The airline says the first officer was due to join the crew of flight 955 from London's Heathrow Airport to San Francisco when he was arrested early Sunday morning. London's Metropolitan Police say the pilot was arrested following a breath test but has since been bailed.

The Sun, a British newspaper, reported that the 44-year-old American pilot was marched off the flight by cops as passengers looked on.

"We couldn't believe what we were seeing. The pilot was frog-marched off the aircraft," the newspaper quoted one unidentified passenger as saying.

The Sun said police acted on a tip from the ground crew.

United said Monday that the man - whose name was not given - was one of three pilots due to fly the plane to the United States.

It says he has been removed from service and that the company is investigating the incident.

The legal limit for pilots is nine micrograms of alcohol in 100 milliliters of breath.