Jailed pilot 4 times over drinks limit

A PILOT has been jailed for nine months after admitting being over the legal alcohol limit to fly.

Irfan Faiz, who gave his address as Oxford Street, Oldham, was arrested in the cockpit of a Pakistan International Airlines plane about to take off for Islamabad.

Faiz (55) from Pakistan was held at Leeds-Bradford Airport on September 18. The court heard that he gave an initial reading of 41 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath on a handheld device. He later gave a reading of 28 microgrammes, the court was told. The legal limit for driving a car is 35 microgrammes, but in the UK the flying limit is nine.

Faiz, a pilot with 25 years’ experience and an otherwise unblemished record, told police he had consumed three-quarters of a bottle of whisky more than 12 hours before the flight, which was due to depart at 10.10pm.

Barrister Paul Greaney QC told the court his client was not a heavy drinker but was under a lot of stress at the time. He said Faiz was not aware of the UK’s drink-flying rules.

Sentencing him at Leeds Crown Court, Mr Justice Coulson QC said Faiz had committed a “very serious offence”.

Pakistan International Airlines will take further action against Faiz once his sentence is completed.