Two Air India Pilots Off Duty After Non-Negative Dope Tests
NEW DELHI: Two Air India group pilots have returned non-negative results in the ongoing one-time dope tests being administered to all cockpit crew members of the airline and its subsidiary, Air India Express. According to sources, the tests began last Thursday and have covered 300-400 pilots so far. The two employees have been taken off flying duty while confirmatory tests are conducted and the final report is awaited.
The decision to conduct the exercise on all approximately 5,000 pilots of Air India and Air India Express follows an incident on August 4, when a pilot of the airline's Phuket-Delhi flight tested positive in a confirmatory test. The group stated that the move was aimed at protecting and sustaining the trust of millions of passengers that Air India has earned over decades.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) rules, a pilot who tests positive for consumption of psychoactive substances for the first time should be referred for de-addiction and rehabilitation. Such a crew member can return to active duty only after testing negative. If the same person tests positive again after resuming flying, their licence will be suspended for three years. A third positive test would lead to cancellation of their flying licence.
The aviation ministry has directed the DGCA to amend existing dope testing requirements by increasing the percentage of personnel who will be mandatorily tested. It has also asked the regulator to ensure stricter consequences for those taking prohibited substances, while giving second and third chances to those who test non-negative due to certain medicines they may have consumed.
The confirmatory tests for the two pilots are currently underway. Further details regarding their identity or the substances involved have not been disclosed. The airline has not issued an official statement on the matter yet.
The move to test all pilots reflects the broader regulatory and internal efforts to maintain safety standards in Indian aviation. The DGCA's structured approach aims to balance strict enforcement with opportunities for rehabilitation, in line with constitutional principles of fairness and due process.
