Emirates Airline Pilot Jailed in Britain for Being Drunk on Duty

A pilot was sentenced to four months in jail on Friday for being drunk while on duty with Emirates airline.

Prosecutors said John Cronly-Dillon was nearly seven times over the legal limit for alcohol when he attempted to check in to command a flight to Dubai on Sept. 13.

Cronly-Dillon, who has been fired by the airline, pleaded guilty to an offense of exceeding the blood-alcohol limit.

Tests showed that Cronly-Dillon, 51, had 134 micrograms of alcohol in 100 milliliters of blood, the prosecution said.

"The limit for someone performing the function of captain is 20 micrograms ... so nearly seven times over the limit," said prosecutor Douglas Adams.

"The courts take a very dim view of passengers who get drunk on an aircraft, and it is much worse if it is the pilot, who has a high level of duty of care to those he would have been looking after," Judge Usha Karu said.

Defense lawyer Judith Khan said Cronly-Dillon, an Australian, was "extremely remorseful" and therefore would not have wished to continue working in the aviation industry.

The airline said it was the first incident of its kind in 21 years.

"Emirates took this incident extremely seriously and immediately began an internal inquiry following Mr. Cronly-Dillon's arrest. This led to his instant dismissal," the company said in a statement.

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