Investigation Underway after Air India Pilot Removed from Plane for Alleged Alcohol Use

An investigation is underway after a pilot was removed from an Air India flight due to being under the influence of alcohol before the plane took flight in late December. Due to this incident, the flight from Vancouver to Delhi experienced a last-minute delay. Canadian authorities and the DCGA have issued warnings for this major airline amidst safety concerns.  Canadian authorities would engage with Air India and India’s aviation regulator to ensure “appropriate follow-up actions” are taken.

Before the scheduled departure at Vancouver International Airport, Canadian police administered two breathalyser tests to the pilot. The results indicated that the pilot was intoxicated and unfit for duty. As a consequence, a last-minute flight delay occurred, requiring another pilot to be replaced shortly before departure.

Air India commented:

The aircraft was a Boeing 777, seating up to 344 passengers, en route to New Delhi. After the incident, the pilot was removed as a pre-emptive safety measure and to reinforce future alcohol screenings for crew members.

The DGCA has cracked down on regulations and rules on alcohol consumption and testing for crew members, including that pilots will now lose their licence to fly over three positive tests. With current rules requiring post-flight alcohol test examinations to be carried out. Canadian rules have also stated that a pilot cannot operate an aircraft within a 12-hour window. This, in turn, is a three-year suspension, and the pilot in question could face judicial and administrative sanctions and be told to pay fines.

Following this incident, these sanctions have become even more strict due to reports on Air India being under investigation for operating flights without proper safety certification. Canadian authorities call for a thorough investigation into Air India’s safety and decision-making regulations.