Nicosia: The pilots, like the rest of the crew, do not pass any breathalyzer tests before each flight. This is practically impossible and not appropriate, according to the Ministry of Transport. Indicating, at the same time, that the responsibility for the health and ability of the flight crews lies with the airlines that issue relevant information manuals.
With a delay of about five years, the Ministry of Transport informed the Parliament about it, following a question submitted, through the parliamentary route, on 30/10/2012 by the DISY MP Kyriakos Hatzigiannis.
The response of the Ministry was forwarded to the Parliament only on 1/3/2017 and according to it, in the manuals issued by the airlines and approved by the Supervisory Authorities, reference is made to the permissible level of alcohol in the human body before each flight as well as the time before the flight where alcohol consumption is allowed.
In its response, the Ministry of Transport also refers to the European Regulation (EU OPS) which gives airlines the right to prohibit the boarding of any person who may endanger the aircraft and its occupants.
It was also sent to the Parliament by the Ministry of Transport, with a long delay, an answer to a second question of the MP Kyriakos Hatzigiannis that was submitted on 25/9/2013. The MP asked the Parliament to be informed about the stage of the process of liberalization of flights from St. Petersburg and Moscow.
Of course, until the answer is given, the letter of the Ministry has a date. 1/3/2017, the restrictions that existed, have disappeared. Today, airlines can operate flights from Larnaca and Paphos to eight airports in the Russian Federation, specifically to Moscow, Ag. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Sochi, Samara, Krasnodar, Kazan and Murmansk, while Russian-designated airlines can operate flights from any airport in the Russian Federation to Larnaca and Paphos.
Source: philenews