TAP management has apologised to passengers that have been stranded at a German airport since Friday night after flight TP253 was cancelled due to an inebriated co-pilot.Shortly before the TAP flight was due to take off at 18:50 from Stuttgart to Lisbon on Friday night, an airport employee noticed the 40-year-old co-pilot, "reeking of alcohol and walking in an unsteady fashion," as he prepared to board the aeroplane.
Airport authorities were notified and the flight was refused permission to leave after police entered the cockpit and found the co-pilot to be in a "highly intoxicated condition."
Stuttgart prosecutors suspended the pilot's licence and fixed bail of €10,000.
All 106 passengers were put up at local hotels overnight and TAP tweeted on Saturday that the passengers would be able to fly to Lisbon but not until Monday, "which is, at the moment, the first day with seats available."
TAP said it will open an internal investigation and "will act accordingly, taking the necessary and consequent measures."
