Air India Mandates Pilot Drug Screening After August 4 Incident

Air India has ordered mandatory drug screening for all pilots across its group, effective August 13, following a midair incident on August 4 in which the pilot in command of a Phuket-Delhi flight tested positive for marijuana. The airline's internal directive requires all pilots, including those from subsidiary Air India Express, to undergo testing for prohibited substances, a measure that goes beyond existing regulatory requirements.

The decision comes in the wake of the serious incident involving flight AI2379, an Airbus A320 operating from Phuket to Delhi. On August 4, the aircraft experienced a sudden altitude variation of approximately 300 feet during cruise, injuring 24 people, including 20 passengers and four cabin crew members. The plane later stabilized and landed safely in Delhi with 137 passengers and eight crew members on board. While the incident was initially attributed to severe turbulence, subsequent investigations have revealed a more complex picture.

Following the flight, both pilots underwent mandatory psychoactive substance screening. The pilot in command's initial test indicated a positive result, which was confirmed by a laboratory test for marijuana,...