Air India's all pilots to be screened for drug abuse after Phuket-Delhi flight row: What its email to employees said

Air India will introduce mandatory screening of all its pilots for banned substances and medications under current regulations, according to an email by the airline to its employees, accessed by Mint. This comes after its Flight AI2379 from Phuket to New Delhi on 4 August suffered a sudden 300-foot mid-air altitude drop that injured 20 passengers and 4 crew members.

Pilots employed by Air India’s budget carrier, Air India Express, will also undergo the mandatory screening.

According to Reuters, citing sources familiar with the matter, the flight’s captain tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory drug test.

“For decades, Air India has been the flag bearer of Indian aviation. Over this time the professionalism, skill and commitment to safety of our pilots, together with other staff, has earned the trust of millions of passengers and the wider community,” the email read.

“This trust is our most important asset, and it is vital that we do all possible to protect and sustain it. Many of you have recently reached out to share the same sentiment. As you know, Air India already fully complies with all regulatory requirements prescribed by India’s DGCA, which are similar to those practised in other major aviation jurisdictions including Europe and the United States,” it added.

Air India said it had decided to go beyond existing requirements by conducting comprehensive screening of all its pilots for substances and medications prohibited under prevailing regulations, announcing that the mandatory testing would begin on Thursday.

The email noted that the screening would be conducted alongside training at the Gurugram Academy, after flights at Flight Briefing Centres or Air India offices, or at locations designated by the pilots’ respective bases.

“This initiative, which goes beyond regulatory requirements, reflects our determination to uphold the highest standards of safety and professionalism, and to provide reassurance to our passengers, stakeholders and the community at large,” it further mentioned.

Air India A320 shows multiple hydraulic, flight-control warnings

A purported post-flight maintenance report for Air India flight AI2379 has flagged several technical warnings involving the aircraft’s hydraulic systems, flight controls and autopilot during its 4 August journey from Phuket to Delhi.

The report for Airbus A320 VT-EXO lists repeated low-pressure alerts in the green, blue and yellow hydraulic systems, along with low fluid levels in the blue and yellow reservoirs. It also records two instances of autopilot disconnection.

Other warnings included faults involving the left and right elevator flight controls, engine anti-ice system messages, and alerts related to the right forward and aft emergency exit doors. The report also flagged failures involving the hydraulic system, an elevator computer and a high-pressure indication associated with the nose landing gear door/engine anti-ice valve system.

Air India had initially attributed the incident to turbulence. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) are probing the incident, which has been classified as a serious occurrence.

However, the purported maintenance report does not establish whether the hydraulic and flight-control warnings were directly connected to the reported altitude loss or whether there was an actual loss of hydraulic pressure or fluid.

Investigators are examining the sequence of events, aircraft system data and crew actions as part of the probe.

Air India has said passenger and crew safety remains its top priority and that it is cooperating with the authorities. The Civil Aviation Ministry is also closely monitoring the investigation, with senior officials overseeing the developments.

Further findings from the AAIB probe are awaited.