Handsome pilot with massive social media following suspended over LIVE broadcasts from the cockpit

An Air China pilot who amassed legions of online followers for his on-duty broadcasts from inside the cockpit has been suspended from his job.

Images and footage posted to Chinese Twitter site Weibo on Friday show the unnamed pilot in uniform and sunglasses appearing to prepare for take-off.

The pictures divided social media, with thousands of online fans praising the 'handsome' pilot but others slamming him over a flagrant disregard of his passenger's safety, reports Shanghai Daily.

Images and footage posted to Chinese Twitter site Weibo on Friday show the unnamed pilot in uniform and sunglasses

The pilot amassed over 6,000 new followers and was inundated with virtual gifts on the social media site after the images went viral.

But others were outraged and called for the pilot to be sacked after it came to light this was not the first time he had used social media on the job.

'A pilot is cool when he is working hard, not when pretending to be cool,' wrote one user commenter.

'Why passengers are told to turn off their digital devices on flight while pilots ignore this rule?' another wrote.

An Air China confirmed in a statement the man was a newly employed co-pilot who had been punished for failing to focus during preparation during takeoff.

They said the pilot was suspended from service because the controversy may impact his performance which would further impair passengers safety.

An Air China confirmed in a statement on Friday the man was a newly employed co-pilot

The pilot amassed over 6,000 new followers and was inundated with virtual gifts on the social media site