Zurich/New Delhi: In yet another incident of safety violation by Air India staff, a pilot of the airline was taken off an aircraft bound for Delhi at the Zurich airport in Switzerland recently for having consumed alcohol beyond permissible limits.
He was taken off the plane even as the flight was preparing for take-off. Subsequent sobriety tests indicated blood alcohol content above the permissible limit. The flight was grounded, prompting an investigation by Switzerland’s aviation regulator, as reported by The Economic Times.
The incident, which occurred on September 6, is the latest in a series of cases where Air India crew have broken rules — including one where a pilot operated an aircraft under the influence of drugs — adding to the challenges facing incoming CEO Tewolde Gebremariam, who has identified building a safety culture as his priority.
According to the report, ground handling staff at Zurich found the pilot smelling of alcohol and alerted authorities, who removed him from the plane before departure.
For flights originating from India, pilots are subjected to mandatory pre-flight drug and alcohol tests. On flights departing from foreign airports, however, testing typically happens after landing. Both Air India and IndiGo maintain a zero-tolerance policy under which even a minor trace of alcohol constitutes a violation.
Action has been taken against the pilot under Swiss regulations and India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been informed, the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) confirmed to ET.
“As a result, flight AI 151 from Zurich to Delhi could not be operated as scheduled. The responsibility for further handling of this case lies with the DGCA as the competent authority of the state of the operator,” a FOCA spokesperson said.
The DGCA, which has asked Air India to strengthen its safeguards, will take up the matter seriously as the regulator is set to face an audit by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Any adverse outcome could result in restrictions on the operations of Indian carriers in America.
Senior pilots, however, blamed such incidents to growing disconnect between the management and cockpit crew.
“There is a yawning gap between the top management and the flying pilots. The top management is chasing growth. The people flying the aircraft are not getting the attention they deserve,” a senior Air India captain was quoted as saying.
Air India officials, however, said the Zurich incident was reported by the airline’s own staff — a sign, they argued, that its safety monitoring system is working.
“There will be some bad apples. The expectation is that responsible colleagues will report any dereliction in duty. Safety remains the cornerstone of Air India,” an official said.
The airline has also stepped up leadership engagement with flight crew, expanded fleet-specific sessions on health, wellbeing and professional responsibilities, and introduced additional support mechanisms for crew members, officials said.
The airline maintains a zero-tolerance policy on safety and regulatory violations, an Air India spokesperson said.
“Any confirmed breach is dealt with firmly and action in accordance with regulatory requirements and company policy is enforced,” the spokesperson said.
