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Air India Co-Pilot Suspended After Testing Positive for Alcohol in Zurich Before Flight
- •An Air India co-pilot was suspended after testing positive for alcohol at Zurich Airport.
- •He was scheduled to fly from Zurich to Delhi on September 6.
- •Airport authorities prevented him from operating the flight after his initial alcohol test was positive.
- •Air India emphasizes strict adherence to safety and compliance for flight crews.
- •This follows an August incident where another Air India pilot was dismissed for marijuana use.
Key Questions Answered
Air India suspended the co-pilot after he tested positive for alcohol in his initial screening prior to operating a scheduled flight from Zurich to Delhi on September 6, and brought him back to India as a passenger. The airline confirmed that his suspension will remain in effect pending the final medical examination report.
Captain Sudeep Bashistha was dismissed after marijuana was detected in his body during two separate tests. The action followed an August 4 incident where his Phuket-to-Delhi flight suddenly lost about 300 feet of altitude, injuring multiple passengers and crew members.
Following recent crew substance incidents, Air India introduced mandatory drug testing for pilots. The airline also announced plans to strengthen psychoactive substance testing, awareness programs, and internal reporting rules.
