India
Archived — This article has been archived. The information may be outdated.
Ministry asks DGCA to review pilot dope-test protocols
NDTV··12 Aug
The Civil Aviation Ministry asked DGCA to review pilot dope-testing protocols after studying practices followed in other countries for flight crew. The step follows confirmatory marijuana-positive tests on the pilot-in-command of Air India flight AI-2379 from Phuket to Delhi, which lost about 300 feet of altitude on August 4, injuring passengers and crew members aboard.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Air travellers should know DGCA may tighten random and post-incident testing if the review finds gaps.
- Crew members fall under existing off-roster and rehabilitation rules while confirmatory results are processed.
- Passengers on AI-2379 who were injured remain part of the wider AAIB fact-finding, separate from the protocol review.
What's Happening
- The ministry directed DGCA to compare India's pilot dope-test framework with other countries.
- The AI-2379 pilot-in-command tested positive for marijuana in confirmatory testing after the August 4 altitude loss.
- Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said rules will be improved if found inadequate.
Substance Rules After a Mid-Cruise Incident
- AI-2379 carried 137 passengers and eight crew when it lost roughly 300 feet en route to Delhi.
- Current DGCA procedures remove crew from safety-sensitive duties after non-negative screens pending confirmation.
- AAIB is examining technical faults and human factors with Airbus and France's BEA involved.
all-newstop-storiestrending-now
