Air India Orders One-Time Drug Test for 5,000 Pilots After Marijuana Test

Air India has ordered a one-time drug screening of more than 5,000 pilots across the Air India Group after a pilot tested positive for marijuana following a recent flight incident. The move is aimed at strengthening aviation safety and ensuring strict compliance with regulations governing the use of psychoactive substances by flight crew.

Phuket-Delhi Flight Incident

The decision follows an incident involving an Air India flight operating from Phuket to Delhi. During the flight, the aircraft reportedly experienced a sudden loss of altitude of around 300 feet. The plane eventually landed safely, although some passengers and crew members were reportedly injured.

Following the incident, the pilot underwent a drug test. While an initial screening reportedly did not establish the presence of a prohibited substance, a subsequent confirmatory test was reported to be positive for marijuana. The incident has since drawn attention to the airline's procedures for monitoring pilots and maintaining flight safety.

Entire Pilot Workforce to Be Tested

In response, Air India has directed that all pilots across its group undergo a one-time screening. The exercise will cover more than 5,000 pilots, including those working for Air India and Air India Express.

The airline's decision goes beyond the existing regulatory requirement for airlines to conduct random testing of a specified proportion of their flight crew for psychoactive substances every year.

The tests will reportedly be conducted at several locations, including airline facilities and designated testing centres. Pilots will be screened for substances prohibited under India's aviation safety regulations.

Focus on Passenger Safety

Air India has emphasized that the expanded testing is part of its broader commitment to maintaining the highest standards of safety. Drug and alcohol-related impairment among flight crew is considered a serious aviation safety concern because it can affect concentration, judgment and reaction time.

The airline's move is also expected to reinforce confidence among passengers and regulators at a time when the aviation sector is under increased scrutiny.

Investigations into the Phuket-Delhi flight incident are continuing, and authorities are expected to examine multiple possible factors behind the aircraft's sudden altitude change. The positive drug-test result and the investigation into the flight incident are separate matters, and no final conclusion has been established linking the two.

The one-time screening of the entire pilot workforce highlights Air India's effort to strengthen internal safety checks and ensure that its flight operations remain compliant with aviation regulations.