New Delhi: Air India has decided to subject every pilot to mandatory substance testing, extending the checks beyond current regulatory requirements after the captain of a flight involved in a major mid-air incident reportedly tested positive for marijuana, Reuters reported.
The new screening programme will begin on Thursday, according to an internal communication.
The exercise will cover drugs, medications and other substances prohibited under aviation rules. Pilots will be tested during training programmes at the airline’s Gurugram academy, after completing flights at briefing centres and offices, or at other venues identified by their respective home bases.
The testing requirement will also apply to pilots employed by Air India Express, the group’s low-cost carrier.
Air India did not immediately respond to an email seeking its comments.
Under the existing framework, airlines are required to conduct random psychoactive-substance tests on at least 10% of their flight crew every year.
Explaining the decision to introduce wider checks, the airline said in its memo: “We nevertheless now feel that it is important to go further.” It added that the move was aimed at strengthening safety procedures and reassuring passengers and other stakeholders.
The decision follows an August 4 incident involving an Air India Airbus A320neo operating from Phuket to Delhi. The aircraft abruptly lost nearly 300 feet (91 metres) in altitude while cruising, prompting an investigation by aviation authorities.
A confirmatory drug examination of the flight’s captain returned positive for marijuana, according to a person familiar with the matter. There is no official indication yet that the test result caused or contributed to the aircraft’s sudden loss of altitude.
