Two too high to fly? Air India takes action against pilots over alcohol tests

While a pilot of a London-bound Air India flight was replaced after he failed to clear the mandatory alcohol test, a Bangkok-bound Air India flight returned to Delhi because its co-pilot had missed the test altogether.

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New Delhi: In two separate incidents of infractions in the Breath Analyser (BA) tests, Air India grounded both pilots involved in a bid to show its commitment towards safety of passengers and aircrafts.

While Captain AK Kathpalia, Air India's chief of operations, was grounded after he reportedly failed to clear the mandatory pre-flight alcohol test, a flight to Bangkok had to return to Delhi because its co-pilot had missed the BA test.

Captain Kathpalia was scheduled to fly flight AI-111 from Delhi to London but he had to be replaced because he tested reportedly positive for alcohol in the BA test. The decision to ground him came about because this is the second time in under a year that he had failed the test. Captain Kathpalia had previously failed the test on January 17 as well. Before this - in 2017 - his flying license had been suspended for three months because he had allegedly missed the BA test. "Action will be taken as per rules against him," Air India CMD Pradeep Singh Kharola was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. DGCA too was informed of the incident immediately. Meanwhile, the Indian Commercial Pilots Association has written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation asking for it to take action against Captain Kathpalia.

In a separate incident, news agency ANI reported that the co-pilot of flight AI-332 had skipped his BA test, forcing the plane to return to Delhi without completing its journey. The matter is being looked into.

Just a day earlier, a pilot of Kandahar-bound Ariana Afghan Airlines from Delhi had mistakenly pressed the 'hijack button' which had caused alarm among security personnel at the airport here. Although this incident had nothing to do with BA tests, it goes to underline just why prescribed safety protocols need to be adhered to at all times.

PTI adds:

Rule 24 of the Aircraft Rules prohibits crew members from partaking any alcoholic drink 12 hours prior to the commencement of a flight, and it is mandatory for him/her to undergo an alcohol test both before and after operating a flight.

The prescribed punishment for such offences under the DGCA rules is suspension of flying licence for three months in case of first breach.

For violating the norms for a second time, the licence is suspended for three years and for a third time, the licence is permanently cancelled.