Police breath tests for pilots

Pilots in the UK could be breathalysed by police when new government air safety regulations are introduced. The new rules, which could be introduced as early as February, will cover all UK airports and pilots of any nationality flying in and out of the country. Pilots have, until now, faced a £5,000 fine or up to five years in prison for being drunk on duty – but only if their employer can prove it. Under the proposed changes, police officers will have the power to breathalyse pilots if there is the slightest suspicion they have been drinking. The Times reports that the Home Office is presently testing breathalyser kits that will pick up small amounts of alcohol on the breath; the limit for pilots will be 20mg per 100ml of blood. This, the newspaper suggests, is so low that it effectively equates to a complete ban on alcohol. As reported by News From Abroad, the proposals come just weeks after two British Airways crew resigned after suspicions they were drunk. The pair were arrested under Norwegian laws, and the Oslo-to-London flight was cancelled.