Air India Co-Pilot fails alcohol test minutes before take-off; suspended, flight delayed

NEW DELHI: An Air India co-pilot has been suspended after failing a pre-flight alcohol test before a flight scheduled to operate from Zurich to Delhi. The incident occurred on September 6, when the co-pilot was removed from the aircraft shortly before departure after being suspected of having consumed alcohol. He failed the initial test, while the result of a second test conducted in Zurich is awaited. The co-pilot was subsequently sent back to India as a passenger. Air India officials said his suspension would remain in place until the final medical examination report is received.

The removal of the co-pilot meant that the Air India flight could not operate to Delhi at its scheduled time and the service was operated the following day. Air India said it had zero tolerance for violations of safety regulations, regulatory standards or company requirements. The airline added that strict action would be taken in accordance with regulatory rules and company policies if any violation is confirmed.

The development comes against the backdrop of another recent incident involving an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi. The pilot of that flight reportedly tested positive for marijuana in drug testing, with both the initial and confirmatory tests returning non-negative results. The same aircraft had suddenly descended by around 300 feet while flying over Odisha. There were 137 passengers and eight crew members on board, with 20 passengers and four cabin crew members sustaining injuries. Following the incident, Air India announced additional drug testing measures for its pilots.