Hainan Airlines is going the extra mile to make sure your flight doesn’t stink.
Managers at China’s largest privately-owned airline are battling B.O. by making pilot candidates take off their shirts during interviews to allow them to sniff their armpits.
No matter how well qualified the pilot, anyone with underarm odor is automatically rejected.
One pilot told AsiaOne, “I passed everything, but I was doomed by my armpits, which are always a bit whiffy,” said one of the applicants who got rejected.
In addition to the obvious fact that passengers don’t appreciate smelly crewmembers, Hainan says the smell test is a good indicator of how well pilots handle stress.