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.

Southwest Airlines stock fell Thursday after the Department of Transportation sued the airline over a pair of "chronically delayed flights."

The DOT filed a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines, citing a pattern of chronic delays, as the government pushes for stricter accountability.

The Department of Transportation is suing Southwest Airlines, accusing it of operating two “chronically delayed flights” in 2022 that resulted in 180 flight disruptions.

Southwest is disappointed that DOT chose to file a lawsuit over two flights that occurred more than two years ago," a spokesperson for the airline said.

David Allsop, 52, is charged with driving under the influence, according to Chatham County Sheriff's office jail records.

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

The Transportation Department said in a lawsuit that two of the airline’s routes were consistently delayed in violation of federal rules.

The report says the pilot, identified as David Allsop, 52, had “a strong odor of what seemed to be alcohol” and “bloodshot, watery eyes."

A Southwest Airlines pilot was removed from the cockpit and arrested for drunkenness just before a flight from Georgia to Chicago, causing a four-hour delay.