Southwest Airlines confirmed the pilot had been removed from duty and apologized to customers whose travel plans were disrupted.

A Southwest Airlines pilot was arrested Wednesday at a Georgia airport just before takeoff and accused of driving under the influence, according to airline officials and authorities in Georgia.

A Southwest Airlines flight was delayed multiple hours this week after a pilot was reportedly arrested and charged with DUI before takeoff in Georgia.

The Transportation Department is stepping up enforcement of persistent flight delays with a civil lawsuit against Southwest Airlines and a fine against Frontier Airlines.

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.

The pilot, a 52-year-old from Bedford who has been a licensed pilot since 2008, was arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) after he allegedly drunkenly reported to a flight assignment at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Savannah, Georgia. Authorities said that the pilot reeked of alcohol when he showed up in the cockpit.

A Southwest Airlines pilot was arrested at a Georgia airport and accused of DUI on Wednesday. A TSA officer smelled alcohol on the pilot and informed law enforcement officials, who arrested the pilot at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, a source familiar with the situation told NBC News.