Now Reading: Air India pilot fails marijuana test, airline to screen all 5,000 pilots
-
01
Air India pilot fails marijuana test, airline to screen all 5,000 pilots
Air India pilot fails marijuana test, airline to screen all 5,000 pilots
Air India and Air India Express will test all their pilots for psychoactive substances from Thursday, a move affecting more than 5,000 crew. The decision follows the August 4 incident in which…
The Story in Brief
Air India and Air India Express will test all their pilots for psychoactive substances from Thursday, a move affecting more than 5,000 crew. The decision follows the August 4 incident in which flight AI2379 from Phuket to Delhi suddenly lost 300 feet, injuring 24 people.
A post-flight maintenance report showed nine warnings in one minute, including hydraulic and autopilot faults. The pilot-in-command tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory test, sources told Indian media. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is probing the incident and is expected to submit an interim report within a month.
The Indian Opinion
The focus on the pilot's drug test risks overshadowing the nine technical warnings that preceded the 300-foot drop. Both mechanical and human factors deserve equal scrutiny. The full pilot screening will reveal whether this was a one-off lapse or a broader culture of avoidance, a test that regulators and the airline must answer with transparency, not blame shifting.
Sources (3): livemint.com, assamtribune.com, english.mathrubhumi.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources.
