Delta Airlines pilot jailed for drunkenness before flight

Lawrence B. Russell Jr., 63, was scheduled to fly from Edinburgh in Scotland to New York on June 16.

But 80 minutes before takeoff, security personnel found two bottles of Jagermeister in his carry-on luggage, Telegraph reported.

A blood test showed he had consumed 49 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood, doubling the strict legal aviation limit in Scotland at just 20mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood, The Guardian reported.

He pleaded guilty to "performing an aviation function while impaired due to drink or drugs" when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court earlier this month.

At the court on Tuesday, prosecutors said his reckless behavior could have endangered hundreds of lives and caused catastrophic consequences.

At the time the pilot was arrested, Delta Airlines apologized to customers for the flight cancellation and said it was assisting passengers with their travel plans.

The carrier also confirmed that its alcohol policy is among the strictest in the industry.

"We have zero tolerance for any violations," the company said in a statement.