Two More Air India Pilots Fail Initial Dope Test Amid Mandatory Carrier-Wide Screening; More ‘High-Flyers’ Expected, Say Sources

Mumbai: At least two more Air India pilots have failed preliminary drug tests during the airline’s mandatory, carrier-wide screening drive following the fallout from a severe mid-air incident on Phuket-Delhi flight. Both pilots were immediately de-rostered pending final confirmation as the airline’s internal sources claim that more crew members might be flagged for substance abuse.

The Air India flight AI-2379, operating between Phuket and Delhi on August 4, encountered severe turbulence and experienced a sudden 300ft loss of altitude over Odisha, leaving more than 20 passengers and four crew members injured. Upon landing in New Delhi, post-flight screening revealed that the pilot-in-command of the Airbus A320 – carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members – was under the influence of marijuana. 

Following scrutiny from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Air India Group ordered an unprecedented, mandatory one-time psychoactive substance test covering approximately 5,000 pilots across both Air India and Air India Express. According to sources, the airline had tested over 300 pilots by Monday – four days since the rollout began on August 13. Notably, preliminary urine samples from at least two flight crew members tested "non-negative" during initial screening. Sources said that the samples were dispatched for confirmatory testing.

The ongoing screening exercise is being conducted during regular training sessions at the airline's Gurugram academy, as well as post-flight at flight briefing centres and regional bases across the country. The drive goes beyond the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's (DGCA) standard regulatory requirement, which mandates routine annual testing for only 10% of flight crew.

Under civil aviation rules set by the DGCA, any pilot testing positive for a psychoactive substance is immediately grounded. First-time offenders are referred to mandatory de-addiction and rehabilitation programs and can only return to active duty after passing a fresh battery of drug tests. Repeat violations result in permanent cancellation of the pilot's flying license.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) continues to conduct a formal inquiry into the August 4 incident, examining flight data, cockpit records, and maintenance logs, as well as crew medical evaluations. The post-flight maintenance report and technical assessment by Airbus have highlighted severe hydraulic failures on the flight just before the altitude drop.