Spirit Pilot Set for Takeoff Busted Instead

A Spirit Airlines pilot has been taken off duty after his airport arrest on stalking charges involving minors. Dominic A. Cipolla, 40, was taken into custody July 17 while on duty at New Orleans' Louis Armstrong International Airport, stemming from a criminal complaint issued six days earlier, the Guardian reports. The case, filed in Johnson County, Kansas, involves accusations of stalking two minors, described as 12 and 17 years old. Cipolla, a resident of Kansas City, Missouri, was extradited to Kansas this month. He posted a $12,500 bond and awaits further court proceedings, with a hearing tentatively set for Aug. 12.

The charges range in severity: stalking the younger individual is classified as a severity level 7 felony in Kansas, potentially carrying a one- to three-year prison sentence. The second count, involving the older alleged victim, is a class A misdemeanor that could result in up to a year in jail or a $2,500 fine, per the Guardian. Spirit Airlines confirmed Cipolla's removal from duty, noting it had to arrange for another pilot to operate Cipolla's scheduled flight. According to an online profile, Cipolla previously served in the US military and joined Spirit in 2022 after a stint with Envoy Air. (A Delta pilot was also arrested last month—in his own cockpit.)