{"id":157991,"date":"2026-09-18T13:39:22","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T08:09:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=157991"},"modified":"2026-09-18T13:39:28","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T08:09:28","slug":"air-india-express-suspends-8-crew","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/18\/air-india-express-suspends-8-crew\/","title":{"rendered":"Air India Express Suspends 8 Dubai-Amritsar Flight Crew for Breaching This Test"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

GURUGRAM-<\/strong> Air India Express (IX)<\/a> has suspended eight crew members for three months after they failed to complete a mandatory post-flight breathalyser declaration within the prescribed two-hour window following a Dubai-Amritsar flight. The incident involved a flight from Dubai (DXB) to Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport in Amritsar (ATQ) on August 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The crew completed the required declaration two hours and 35 minutes after landing at Amritsar (ATQ), exceeding the regulatory window by 35 minutes. Air India Express reported the violation to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and removed the eight crew members from duty before imposing the three-month suspension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Air
Photo: avgeekwithlens\/ Harsh Tekriwal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Air India Express Takes Action After Delayed Testing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The eight crew members were required to undergo the mandatory post-flight breathalyser procedure within two hours of arriving at Amritsar<\/a> after operating the international service from Dubai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to sources cited in reports, the crew faced a 35-minute delay in completing the required declaration. Instead of submitting it within the two-hour period, the process was completed after two hours and 35 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The timing of the test became the key compliance issue. The reported violation did not involve a positive alcohol test. All eight crew members tested negative for alcohol, according to news agency ANI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the negative results, the airline treated the failure to complete the mandatory procedure within the prescribed period as a regulatory violation. The airline reported the matter to the DGCA and took the crew members off duty before imposing the three-month suspension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The action highlights the importance of complying with prescribed testing timelines, even when the eventual test result does not indicate alcohol consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo: avgeekwithlens\/ Harsh Tekriwal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mandatory Post-Flight Breathalyser Rules<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Post-flight breathalyser testing forms part of India’s aviation safety framework for detecting alcohol consumption among flight crew. The prescribed testing process requires crew members to complete the procedure within a defined period after operating a flight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The purpose of the requirement is to establish a clear and consistent system for checking whether crew members have consumed alcohol before or after flight operations in circumstances covered by the regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Compliance with the timing requirement is therefore separate from the actual test result. A crew member can test negative for alcohol but still face action if the mandatory procedure is not completed according to the applicable rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Air India Express case, the eight crew members reportedly completed the declaration 35 minutes beyond the two-hour deadline. The airline subsequently informed the aviation regulator and imposed disciplinary action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo: avgeekwithlens\/ Harsh Tekriwal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Incident Follows Phuket-Delhi Flight Scrutiny<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Air India Express action comes weeks after a separate Air India (AI) incident involving a Phuket (HKT) to Delhi (DEL)<\/a> service that brought renewed attention to psychoactive-substance testing among airline crew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the Phuket-Delhi flight, an Airbus A320 experienced a sudden loss of altitude of approximately 300 feet while cruising. The incident resulted in 17 reported injuries and was classified as a serious incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both pilots underwent prescribed psychoactive-substance screening following the event. The initial screening result involving the pilot-in-command required confirmatory testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The DGCA subsequently removed both pilots from the roster pending further investigation. The captain later tested positive for marijuana in the confirmatory test, according to the reports cited in the source material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) was investigating the Phuket-Delhi incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two cases involve different regulatory issues. The Air India Express case concerns compliance with the timing of a mandatory post-flight breathalyser declaration, while the Phuket-Delhi case involved psychoactive-substance screening and a subsequent confirmatory test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Air
Photo: avgeekwithlens\/ Harsh Tekriwal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Air India Expands Psychoactive-Substance Testing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Following the Phuket incident, Air India announced expanded psychoactive-substance screening for pilots across the Air India group, including Air India Express.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The expanded program went beyond the existing regulatory requirement for random testing of at least 10% of flight crew annually. The additional screening began on August 13 and was planned at multiple locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Testing was to be carried out in several operational settings, including during training, after flights and at designated crew base locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The move placed greater emphasis on screening across the airline group and came amid increased scrutiny of crew safety procedures following the Phuket-Delhi incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Air India Express operates as part of the Air India Group and has a large network connecting Indian cities with international destinations across the Middle East and other markets. Its international operations make compliance with crew safety and testing requirements an important part of its operating procedures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Air
Photo: avgeekwithlens\/ Harsh Tekriwal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Government Reviews Annual Pilot Testing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said in August that the government was considering changes to the country’s pilot testing framework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the existing system referenced in the reports, random psychoactive-substance testing covers at least 10% of pilots annually. The proposed approach would consider testing all pilots once a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such a change would increase the number of pilots subject to annual screening compared with the current random-testing requirement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The proposal was discussed after the Phuket-Delhi incident, which triggered additional attention on psychoactive-substance testing and crew safety procedures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The government has not been reported as having replaced the existing framework with universal annual testing at the time covered by the source material. The matter was described as being under consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Air
Photo: avgeekwithlens\/ Harsh Tekriwal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What the Air India Express Suspension Means<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The three-month suspension demonstrates that airlines can take disciplinary action when crew members fail to comply with mandatory safety procedures, even when the eventual breathalyser result is negative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The incident also shows the distinction between testing compliance and test outcomes. The eight crew members reportedly did not record positive alcohol results, but the declaration was completed outside the required two-hour period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Airline crew members are subject to strict procedures because testing requirements are designed to provide timely safety checks around flight operations. Missing a prescribed testing window can therefore become a compliance issue in its own right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Air India Express, reporting the violation to the DGCA and removing the crew from duty before the suspension reflects the airline’s response to the procedural breach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The incident also comes during a period of increased attention on crew screening across the Air India Group. The expanded psychoactive-substance testing program announced after the Phuket-Delhi incident adds another layer to the group’s broader focus on crew testing and compliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Air
Photo: PTI<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Air India Group Faces Increased Testing Focus<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The two developments have placed crew testing procedures within greater focus across the Air India Group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Air India Express’s three-month suspension involved eight crew members and a delayed post-flight breathalyser declaration. Separately, Air India’s expanded psychoactive-substance screening program covers pilots across the group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cases involve separate procedures and should not be treated as the same type of violation. The Air India Express crew members reportedly tested negative for alcohol, while the Phuket-Delhi case involved a pilot’s confirmatory marijuana test following an initial screening that required further testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regulatory investigations and airline disciplinary processes also serve different purposes. The DGCA oversees compliance with civil aviation regulations, while airlines can impose internal disciplinary measures on employees for violations of company or regulatory procedures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Air India Express case therefore underscores the importance of completing mandatory safety procedures within the required timeframe, while the wider developments show how crew screening has received increased attention following the Phuket-Delhi serious incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Join us on\u00a0Telegram Group\u00a0<\/a>for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on\u00a0Google News<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Air India Express Boeing 737 Grounded After Pilot Hits Runway Lights During Takeoff<\/a><\/blockquote>