Interviews for pilots are the pits

Interviewers are demanding to sniff the armpits of would-be pilots in China to see if they suffer from body odour.

"Our staff work very closely with the public and no passenger wants to smell a pilot's armpits," explained one of the testers in in Taiyuan, Shanxi province.

"And if they can keep their cool in this test, they aren't going to sweat in the cockpit."

Other conditions included a maximum height of 6ft 2ins,  a "pleasant" face and a good grasp of English.

One rejected applicant reportedly said: "I passed everything but I was doomed by my armpits, which are always a bit whiffy."