NEW DELHI- According to a report from the TOI, Air India (AI) has dismissed a pilot who flew a flight from overseas to India while under the influence of alcohol.
The incident took place recently when the pilot, upon arrival in India, tested positive for alcohol during the breath analyzer (BA) test. The airline also considering filing a First Information Report (FIR) against the flight’s captain.
Air India Pilot Fired
“We uphold a policy of absolute intolerance towards such occurrences and have responded with decisive measures by not only terminating the captain’s employment but also considering the initiation of an FIR, as operating a flight under the influence of alcohol constitutes a criminal offence. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been notified,” airline insiders informed Times of India.
In 2022, the DGCA suspended nine pilots and thirty-two cabin crew members for failing their pre-flight breathalyzer tests.
In a separate incident, an IndiGo aircraft reportedly collided with the wings of an Air India Express (IX) plane at Kolkata airport (CCU), damaging both aircraft, according to officials cited by PTI.
The IndiGo flight was bound for Darbhanga, while the Air India Express plane was scheduled to depart for Chennai. A senior DGCA official stated that an investigation was initiated, and two IndiGo pilots involved in the incident were taken off duty.
The IndiGo (6E) flight had 131 adults and four infants on board, while the Air India Express aircraft carried 163 passengers.
Additionally, on 22 March, the DGCA imposed a financial penalty of ₹80 lakh on Air India Limited for breaching regulations related to Flight Duty Time Limits (FDTL) and the fatigue management system (FMS) for flight crew.
Earlier this month, there were reports of Air India laying off over 180 non-flying staff. An Air India spokesperson commented that these employees had been reassigned roles based on organizational requirements and individual merit as part of the fitment process.
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