The Civil Aviation Administration of China has been investigating Air Guilin after one of its pilots invited a young woman into the cockpit during a flight earlier this year, which is an explicit violation of regulations.

Earlier this month the airline, based in the southwestern region of Guangxi, confirmed the incident had taken place on its flight between Guilin and Yangzhou, a city in Jiangsu province, in January and said it had given the pilot a lifetime ban from flying and urged the administration to revoke his pilot's licence.

Gu Xiaohong, deputy director of the administration's general affairs department, said on Monday that "the captain from Air Guilin, who allowed the female passenger into the cockpit in midair, lacked safety awareness and disregarded his responsibilities".

The captain violated regulations to allow unqualified people to enter the cockpit during aircraft operation and even sit in the pilot's seat while in midair. Such malpractice posed a potential danger to flight safety and caused a bad social impact, he added.

The administration has been looking into the case and will determine punishments for the company and its pilots according to rules and regulations.

Gu also said the administration has always made passenger safety a top priority and required airlines to establish a comprehensive safety management system.

"But the incident of Air Guilin has once again sounded the alarm," he said, adding all staff should attach great importance to safe operation and never slack off in safety awareness.