A Southwest Airlines pilot suspected of being drunk was removed from the cockpit and arrested just before takeoff Wednesday at a Georgia airport, according to airline officials and authorities in the state.

Passengers had boarded the Southwest Airlines flight from Savannah, Georgia, to Chicago on Wednesday when police took the pilot away in handcuffs. An incident report says police at the Savannah airport tracked down the 52-year-old pilot after someone reported he appeared to be under the influence during crew check-in.