A Flybe flight was cancelled at the last minute on Wednesday when the pilot was arrested on suspicion of being drunk.
A member of cabin crew reported their colleague, who was removed from the plane just before take-off and breathalysed.
Passengers who had boarded the Newquay-Gatwick flight were delayed by up to five hours and in some cases missed onward connections.
A Flybe spokesman said: "Flybe can confirm that one of its pilots volunteered to help the police with their inquiries at Newquay Airport yesterday.
"The airline is not able to comment further while the police investigation is taking place."
The Daily Mail quotes a retired pilot saying this was the first time he had heard of a pilot being arrested immediately before a flight.
