Flydubai said on Tuesday it had sacked a pilot who last month failed an alcohol test before being due to operate a flight to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Nepal.

The captain was found to have a blood alcohol level over the legal limit and deemed unfit to operate the July 29 Kathmandu to Dubai flight after colleagues raised concerns.

"Flydubai confirms that the pilot's employment has been terminated. The safety of our passengers and crew is our priority," an airline spokeswoman said.

The pilot, who was tested before boarding the plane, has not been identified by the airline.

Flydubai said last month it expected to reprimand the pilot and that it had "zero tolerance" for flight crew who breached regulations regarding alcohol consumption.

The flight, operated by a replacement crew, arrived in Dubai 10 hours and 30 minutes later than originally scheduled.