AI drug tests flag two more pilots
At least two more Air India (AI) pilots have tested positive for prohibited psychoactive substances during special preliminary drug screening, airline sources said on Monday, as the airline expands testing of its flight crew after Phuket-Delhi flight incident earlier this month. However, confirmatory laboratory tests will be required before any final conclusion can be reached.
The two pilots were among around 400 AI pilots screened so far under the airline’s expanded drug-testing programme, according to reports. Further action against the two pilots, if any, will depend on the outcome of the confirmatory tests.
The development comes days after AI announced that it would screen all its pilots for psychoactive substances. The expanded testing programme goes beyond the existing regulatory requirement, under which at least 10 per cent of flight crew are subjected to random drug testing each year.
The airline’s decision followed an August 4 incident involving an Airbus A320neo operating from Phuket to Delhi. The aircraft experienced a sudden loss of about 300 feet in altitude while flying over Odisha, leaving several passengers and crew members injured before the aircraft landed safely in Delhi.
The pilot-in-command subsequently tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory laboratory test. His preliminary screening had initially indicated the possible presence of a psychoactive substance, prompting further testing.
Following the incident, AI expanded drug screening to cover all its pilots, including those employed by Air India Express. Testing is being carried out during training sessions, after flights and at designated locations, including the airline’s Gurugram academy and pilots’ home bases.
The latest preliminary results have emerged amid heightened scrutiny of pilot fitness and aviation safety. The two newly flagged pilots are expected to undergo the prescribed confirmatory testing process.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has previously proposed a two-stage testing process for aviation personnel. Under the procedure, personnel who test positive during preliminary screening may be removed from safety-sensitive duties until confirmatory test results are available.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is separately investigating the August 4 Phuket-Delhi incident. The probe is examining technical, operational and other factors that may have contributed to the aircraft’s sudden loss of altitude.
