Overview

• On July 26, about 10 officers from Homeland Security Investigations and air marshals boarded Delta Flight 2809 after it landed in heavy fog at SFO and arrested an unnamed co-pilot in view of passengers.
• Passengers reported the officers rushed through first class, entered the cockpit, cuffed the co-pilot, and removed him from the aircraft without crew explanation.
• The remaining pilot expressed confusion to passengers, saying he had no prior knowledge of the operation or reason for the arrest.
• Delta Air Lines declined to comment and directed all inquiries to the Department of Homeland Security, which has not disclosed any charges or the co-pilot’s identity.
• The incident follows contested breathalyzer detentions of Delta pilots in Stockholm and Amsterdam under EU regulations earlier in the week, highlighting divergent oversight standards and transparency gaps.