JOIN USIA, Jet Airways ground pilots for failing pre-flight alcohol test
Two pilots -- one each from Air India and Jet Airways -- have landed in trouble after they failed a pre-flight alcohol test, officials said on Wednesday.
The Air India pilot cannot fly for the next three years as his licence has been suspended for that period, while the Jet Airways pilot has been taken off the roster for three months.
The quantum of punishment for the Air India pilot is more as he is a repeat offender while it was the first time for the Jet pilot.
The Air India pilot was to fly the Birmingham-bound flight from Delhi, but was caught during the mandatory pre-flight checking, for the second time. A senior Air India official said the airline would take strict action against pilots who violate rules.
The Jet Airways pilot was to fly a Mumbai-Paris flight.
Government statistics showed that 122 pilots were caught during pre-flight examination between 2013 and 2016 till June 30.
Jet Airways and its subsidiary JetLite together had the highest number of 38 pilots, who were caught between 2013 and April 2016. Air India accounted for 19 pilots during this period, while IndiGo had 25 such pilots.
According to Aircraft Rules 1937, no person acting as pilot, commander, navigator, engineer, cabin crew or other operating member of the crew should have taken or used any alcoholic drink, sedative, narcotic or stimulant drug or preparation within 12 hours of commencement of the flight or take or use any such preparation in the course of the flight.
The DGCA had even warned pilots and crew members that mouthwash or a tooth gel, which has alcohol content, could land them in trouble. "No crew member shall consume any drug/formulation or use any substance, mouthwash/tooth gel which has alcoholic content," the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) said.
The regulator is of the view that alcohol present in body “even in small quantities” jeopardises flight safety on several counts and is likely to adversely affect an aviator well into the hangover period.