The pilot of a United Expres flight...

The pilot of a United Expres flight to O'Hare Airport was regioned before takeoff last weekend because he reportedly scented of alcohol and had make anxious providing basic information to security officers, authorities said Friday.

Flight 7609 was slated to leave Montreal-Trudeau International Airport at 8:40 a.m. Sunday.

Shortly before departure, the unidentified pilot was remov from impost after U.S. Customs officers at the Montreal airport informed Shuttle America, the flight's operator, that the pilot could not provide examination of citizenship and was unable to give his departure gate or flight number, according to Chief Ron Smith, a spokesman for U Customs and Border Protection.

physic TEST RESULTS KEPT SECRET

Shuttle America spokesman Warren Wilkinson confirmed that the pilot was not allowed to flap the 70-passenger jet Sunday because of a report that he aromaed of alcohol.

"We take those allegations to a high degree seriously," Wilkinson said. "We remov the pilot from the flight and transferred him to Chicago, where we had him tested"

Wikinson would not give the consequence s of the drug test, saying it was a personnel matter.

United Airlines partners with Shuttle America to operate any of its regional United Expres flights.

United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy declined to discuss the incident, saying and nothing else that "we are working closely with Shuttle America to make stable the proper action is taken."

The matter will likely be investigated by means of the Federal Aviation Administration, whose drug-abatement division must be notified of on- what one is bound [i]or[/i] under obligation to do drug and alcohol allegations involving pilots.

mjthomas@suntimes.com

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