Archive · 18 Sep 2026
Air India Express Suspends Eight Crew Over Delayed Breathalyser Tests
Air India Express requires flight crew to complete a safety breathalyser declaration after international flights.
Eight crew members, including four pilots, completed the declaration late after landing in Amritsar.
They submitted it two hours and 35 minutes after landing instead of within two hours.
The airline reported the delay to India's aviation regulator.
It also suspended the eight crew members from duty.
The action came after an Air India pilot tested positive for marijuana following another flight.
That aircraft had lost about 300 feet of altitude and some passengers and crew members were injured.
Air India said it would screen its pilots more broadly for prohibited substances or medications.
Air India Express also asked employees to confidentially report substance use that could affect their ability to work safely.
Air India Express suspended eight crew members, including four pilots, over a delayed mandatory post-flight breathalyser declaration.
The crew on an August 2 Dubai-Amritsar flight completed the declaration two hours and 35 minutes after landing, 35 minutes beyond the prescribed limit.
The airline reported the violation to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and removed all eight crew members from duty.
The action followed an Air India pilot testing positive for marijuana after a Phuket-Delhi flight linked to an altitude-loss incident.
Air India and Air India Express announced broader substance screening and confidential self-declaration procedures for employees.
- Who
- Air India Express suspended eight crew members, including four pilots, and reported the matter to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
- What
- The crew submitted a mandatory post-flight breathalyser declaration 35 minutes beyond the two-hour deadline.
- When
- The Dubai-Amritsar flight landed on August 2; a related Air India incident occurred on August 4.
- Where
- The Air India Express flight landed at Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport in Amritsar after departing from Dubai.
- Why
- The crew missed the required testing window, while the airlines also tightened screening after an Air India pilot tested positive for marijuana.
- Crew suspended
- Eight Air India Express crew members, including four pilots
- Flight route
- Dubai to Amritsar
- Flight date
- August 2
- Testing requirement
- A post-flight breathalyser declaration within two hours of landing
- Actual submission
- Two hours and 35 minutes after landing
- Regulator notified
- Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
- New screening measures
- Air India announced full screening of its pilots, while Air India Express encouraged confidential self-declarations.
