Air India is introducing mandatory substance testing for all of its pilots, expanding its screening program beyond existing regulatory requirements after a captain involved in a serious mid-air incident tested positive for marijuana.
According to an internal memo cited by Reuters, the expanded testing program begins Thursday and will screen pilots for substances and medications prohibited under aviation regulations.
Testing will be conducted at several locations, including alongside training sessions at Air India’s academy in Gurugram, following flights at briefing centres and offices, and at designated locations based on pilots’ home bases.
Pilots working for the airline’s low-cost subsidiary, Air India Express, will also be included in the expanded testing program.
Existing aviation regulations require airlines to randomly test at least 10 per cent of their flight crews for psychoactive substances annually. Air India said in the memo that it had decided to go beyond those requirements as part of efforts to maintain safety standards and reassure passengers and other stakeholders.
The decision comes as authorities investigate an August 4 incident involving an Air India Airbus A320neo travelling from Phuket to Delhi.
During the flight, the aircraft suddenly lost approximately 300 feet, or 91 metres, of altitude while cruising.
The flight’s captain subsequently tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory drug test, according to a source familiar with the investigation.
The incident has prompted increased scrutiny of pilot safety procedures as investigators work to determine the circumstances surrounding the sudden loss of altitude.
