British Airways pilots sacked for drinking

The British airline, British Airways, has fired two of its pilots who were filmed drinking alcohol hours before a flight.

The pair were among a group of nineteen pilots and cabin crew caught on a hidden camera by a documentary team from the private Channel 4 television station.

A third pilot has already resigned and two others have been given written warnings.

Two more pilots have since been cleared by the airline.

British Airways crew members are not allowed to consume alcohol in the eight hours before reporting for flight duty and must only drink in moderation for the sixteen hours before that.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service