Air India orders drug tests for all pilots
Air India (AI) has introduced fresh mandatory screening for drug and psychoactive substances for pilots across both Air India and Air India Express following concerns surrounding the captain of a Phuket-Delhi flight who reportedly tested positive for marijuana.
The expanded testing programme begins Thursday and applies to all pilots, according to a formal communication issued by the airline to its employees. Once this one-time exercise is completed, testing will revert to the existing requirement of screening at least 10 per cent of pilots annually.
AI said it already complies with drug and alcohol testing requirements laid down by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). However, the airline has decided to conduct additional screening as part of a broader effort to strengthen flight safety. The latest screening initiative comes in addition to the alcohol and substance-testing requirements already prescribed for India’s flight crews. The airline said the new checks would cover substances as well as medications that are not permitted under prevailing aviation regulations.
Over 5,000 pilots across Air India and Air India Express are expected to undergo mandatory drug and substance testing. Testing will be carried out at the AI’s Gurugram Academy, along with flight briefing centres and offices, with pilots required to undergo screening after completing their flights, according to the communication.
The airline said the decision followed concerns raised by employees and was aimed at protecting the confidence passengers place in the carrier.
The move comes after an incident involving an Airbus A320neo operating from Phuket to Delhi. The aircraft, which had 137 passengers and eight crew members on board, suffered a sudden loss of altitude of around 300 feet during the flight before continuing to Delhi and landing safely. The incident left 13 passengers and four crew members injured.
Under DGCA regulations, crew members operating scheduled flights from India must undergo a pre-flight breathalyser examination at the first departure airport during their flight-duty period. A crew member who operates without completing the mandatory test can be removed from the roster at the first landing point, with the incident reported to the aviation regulator.
The Aircraft Rules, 1937, separately prohibit operating crew from consuming alcohol, sedatives, narcotic drugs or stimulants within 12 hours before commencing a flight or while a flight is in progress.
Crew members are also prohibited from reporting for duty while intoxicated or with detectable alcohol in their blood. DGCA procedures require positive or missed alcohol tests to be reported to the regulator within 24 hours. While alcohol can generally be detected through breath or blood testing, drug screening involves the collection of biological samples and laboratory analysis to confirm the presence of prohibited substances.
