Fine and suspension for pilot who failed alcohol test

A foreign captain for Sichuan Airlines who failed an alcohol test prior to a flight mission on March 31 has been fined 80,000 yuan (US$12,307) and suspended for six months, according to a report by Red Star News on April 19.

The name of the captain and the amount of alcohol detected in his blood are currently unknown. 

"In order to ensure safety, all pilots are tested before flights," an unnamed employee of Sichuan Airlines told Red Star News, a Chengdu-based news portal. "For those who violate regulations, their flight missions will be canceled immediately, and they will be replaced and punished."

According to China's Civil Aviation Administration, when the alcohol level exceeds 0.000g/210L in a breath test, pilots must be asked whether they have consumed alcohol. When that level surpasses 0.02g/210L, they are grounded immediately.

A Sichuan Airlines captain said in an interview in 2017 that according to company regulations, when flying ordinary routes, pilots cannot drink alcohol within eight hours of departure. If flying over plateaus, they must refrain from alcohol for 24 hours prior to departure.

Sichuan Airlines will decide when to reinstate the captain after further judging his performance.