Qantas Suspends Pilot for Exceeding Alcohol Limit

Australia’s air safety regulator says Qantas Airways Ltd. has suspended a pilot for attempting to fly while under the influence of alcohol.

Civil Aviation Safety Authority spokesman Peter Gibson said Monday the woman exceeded the limit for pilots of 0.02 percent alcohol in the blood in a test last week.

Gibson said he did not know her blood-alcohol reading. The blood-alcohol limit for driving in Australia is 0.05 percent.

Australian Associated Press reported the pilot was detected last Monday as she was about to fly a Boeing 767-300 from Sydney to Brisbane.

Gibson said 45 pilots had exceeded the alcohol limit in 51,000 tests in Australia since 2008.