Air India Express Suspends Crew for Missing Breathalyser Deadline

Sep 18, 2026

63 min

Sep 18, 2026 05:30

Air India Express suspends 8 crew over post-flight breathalyser deadline

## Crew Suspension Details

Air India Express has suspended eight crew members for failing to meet the mandatory post-flight breathalyser test deadline. The crew, operating a flight from Dubai to Amritsar on August 2, submitted their breathalyser declaration 35 minutes past the required two-hour window after landing.

## Regulatory Compliance

The airline reported the incident to India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and removed the crew from duty. Although all eight crew members tested negative for alcohol, the suspension was enforced due to the delay in meeting the testing deadline.

## Context of the Decision

This disciplinary action follows a recent incident involving an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi, which experienced a sudden altitude drop. This event has led to increased scrutiny of psychoactive-substance testing among airline crew.

## Expanded Testing Measures

In response to the Phuket incident, Air India has expanded its psychoactive-substance screening to include all pilots across its group, including Air India Express. This initiative exceeds the current regulatory requirement of random testing for at least 10% of flight crew annually.

## Future Testing Plans

The Indian government is considering implementing an annual dope test for all pilots, replacing the current system of random testing for a subset of pilots each year.

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