An Air Guilin captain who allowed a female passenger in the cockpit during a flight was suspended for life and may lose his license, according to a notice of penalty exposed on Tuesday and later verified by Air Guilin staff, Beijing News reported.

The notice showed the airline has suggested the civil aviation authority revoke the pilot's license. Other on-duty crew members were suspended from flying for 12 months.

Senior officials of the airline, including the chief executive, general manager and maintenance vice-general manager, were also punished and fined over the incident, according to the notice.

Zhang Qihuai, a researcher on air and space law at the China University of Political Science and Law, told Beijing News if the pilot's license gets revoked, he will be banned from the profession for life.

It takes seven to 10 years and millions in investment to cultivate a qualified crew commander, according to media reports.

The incident came to light on Sunday after a Sina Weibo user posted a screenshot of the female passenger's post, which contains a photo of her sitting in the cockpit. The passenger also expressed her delight and gratitude to the captain.

It immediately sparked discussion online. Netizens were irritated not only by the pilot's irresponsible behavior, but also by the airline's slow response. A statement released by Air Guilin on Monday showed the airline only became aware of the case from the Sina Weibo user's post.

They raised doubts on precautionary measures, questioning why such a huge mistake was not discovered earlier.