Exclusive | Junior Cathay Pacific pilot suspended after failing alcohol test before flight to Hong Kong

Sources say junior pilot for flight CX110 failed test in Sydney, leading to immediate suspension and service to be delayed by two days

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A Cathay plane parked at Sydney’s airport. Some aircrew of flight CX110 underwent alcohol breath tests at the request of Australian authorities, a source says. Photo: Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 5:36pm, 24 Jul 2024Updated: 12:40pm, 25 Jul 2024

A junior pilot with Cathay Pacific Airways has been suspended from duty after he failed an alcohol breath test on Tuesday shortly before he was scheduled to fly from Sydney to Hong Kong, causing the flight to be delayed by two days, the Post has learned.

Sources said on Wednesday that some aircrew with flight CX110 underwent alcohol breath tests in Sydney at the request of Australian authorities and the junior pilot failed the breath test, leading to immediate suspension and the flight delay.

An insider added Cathay Pacific had sent another pilot from Hong Kong to Sydney to join the rescheduled flight.

“We all know the 10-hour bottle to throttle rule. You can’t drink 10 hours before reporting a flying duty,” the insider said. “Most of us observe this rule.

“The company limit is 0.02 per cent blood alcohol content. Now that the original second officer has been suspended from duty, Cathay has to arrange another second officer there as a replacement, causing a prolonged delay.”

The insider said the Airbus A350-941 was scheduled to depart at 7.35am Sydney time on Tuesday and arrive in Hong Kong at 3.05pm. But the flight was delayed by at least two days after the second officer failed the test.