Air India suspends pilot after failing breath analyser test at Zurich airport

Air India has suspended a pilot who failed a breath analyser test at Zurich airport on September 6, shortly before he was to operate a flight to Delhi. The pilot was removed from duty and remains suspended pending investigation.

New Delhi: Air India has suspended a pilot for failing breath analyser test at the Zurich airport earlier this month before he was to operate a flight to the national capital and the airline is taking steps to strictly ensure regulatory compliance and curb violations, according to officials.

The incident that happened on September 6 came days after Air India terminated the services of the pilot-in-command of a Phuket-Delhi flight who had tested positive for drug use.

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On Friday, the officials said the pilot was to operate Air India flight AI151 from Zurich to Delhi on September 6, and at the airport, he smelt of alcohol. Subsequently, the airline officials voluntarily informed the local authorities and requisite action was taken, they added.

There was no official statement from Air India.

The officials said in the Zurich incident, the pilot was immediately removed from operating duties upon receipt of a preliminary breath analyser test report from local authorities and referred for further medical evaluation.

The pilot was subsequently repatriated to India as a passenger and remains under suspension pending the final medical examination report and completion of the investigation. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken based on the findings, the officials said.

Regarding the incident, a Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) spokesperson on Friday told PTI that necessary measures were taken in accordance with applicable national and international regulations.

“The operator and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India (DGCA) have been informed accordingly. As a result, flight AI151 from Zurich to Delhi could not be operated as scheduled,” the spokesperson said.

For reasons of data protection, the spokesperson said FOCA cannot provide further details on the case.

“The responsibility for the further handling of this case lies with the DGCA as the competent authority of the State of the Operator, to which any further enquiries should be addressed,” the spokesperson said in an e-mail response.

Meanwhile, in the wake of recent incidents, including a pilot testing positive for drug use, the officials said Air India is strengthening accountability of people across flight operations.

Apart from the mandatory testing for pilots for psychoactive substances, the airline is continuously monitoring compliance trends and operational conduct, enhancing awareness programmes focused on safety-critical responsibilities and increased leadership engagement with flight crew, the officials added.

According to the officials, when violations have been established, the airline has taken disciplinary action, including suspension and termination of employment, depending on the nature and severity of the non-compliance.

On September 4, Air India terminated the services of the pilot-in-command of Phuket-Delhi flight who had tested positive for drug use. The move came hours after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) in its preliminary report into the Phuket flight incident that happened on August 4 said the drug use by the pilot was a serious concern and asked regulator DGCA to take appropriate action.

The Phuket-Delhi flight, operating with an A320 plane, suddenly lost nearly 300 feet altitude and many people who were on board suffered injuries.

In the preliminary report, AAIB said the plane carrying 145 people suffered near-simultaneous loss of all three hydraulic systems while cruising at 36,000 feet, triggering an autopilot disconnect, a brief stall warning and an altitude upset that injured 24 people.