Air India Co-Pilot Suspended After Failing Alcohol Test Before Zurich Flight

New Delhi: A few weeks after another Air India pilot tested positive for marijuana after a Phuket-Delhi flight experienced a sudden drop of altitude, an Air India first officer was suspended after failing an alcohol test prior to a scheduled flight from Zurich to Delhi on September 6.   

Authorities thought the co-pilot had drunk alcohol, so they removed him from the plane just before takeoff. According to Air India officials, he failed the initial exam, and the results of the second test, which was carried out in Zurich, are still pending. 

After that, the pilot was returned to India as a passenger and is still on suspension until the results of the final medical assessment are obtained. Operations were also hampered by the incident. Due to its inability to depart on time, Flight AI 151 was operated to Delhi the next day.

Air India said it follows a strict policy on safety and regulatory compliance.

"Air India maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards any violation of safety, regulatory or company protocols. Any confirmed breach is dealt with firmly and action in accordance with regulatory requirements and company policy is enforced," Air India said.

"To reinforce a culture of discipline, compliance and accountability, Air India has reiterated to all flight crew the critical responsibility of operating to the highest standards of safety, professionalism and integrity. The airline conducts regular awareness and compliance training, mandates testing for psychoactive substances, and enforces strict disciplinary measures that may go beyond minimum regulatory requirements," it added.

Another Air India Pilot Tested Positive For Marijuana 

The most recent occurrence occurs weeks after another case in which an Air India pilot tested positive for marijuana twice after the August 4 flight from Phuket to Delhi. While flying over Odisha, Flight AI-2379, which was carrying eight crew members and 137 passengers, abruptly lost roughly 300 feet. Before the Airbus A320neo finally made a safe landing in Delhi, over twenty passengers and four crew members were hurt.

After testing positive for marijuana in two drug tests, Sudeep Vashistha, the pilot in command, was fired.

Vashistha had said he was taking medication for "sleep difficulty". "I disclose, for completeness, that I had separately been experiencing sleep difficulty over a preceding period, related to personal circumstances, for which I had been prescribed medication by my family doctor," Vashistha had said in a flight safety statement.

"During the layover, I personally attempted rest; sleep did not come easily, and I judged that light activity such as walking would be constructive for sleep quality," he had said.

Why Air India Ordered Fresh Dope Tests

After the Phuket-Delhi incident, Air India mandated that all of its pilots undergo new drug tests. The airline has implemented other initiatives to increase staff compliance, including as mandatory testing for psychoactive substances, increased awareness campaigns, and a stronger focus on reporting obligations and legal requirements.

Air India stated that it would keep an eye on operational behavior and compliance trends while enforcing safety and discipline standards among its flight crew. The co-pilot's final medical assessment report is still pending before any additional action is taken, and the most recent Zurich incident has brought those measures back into the spotlight.