The government has taken a serious view of the Air India pilot who tested positive for marijuana after operating a Phuket-Delhi flight on August 4, asking the airline to strengthen operational oversight and take greater responsibility for safety.
The 145-passenger flight, AI 2379, encountered multiple warnings while flying over Odisha. The aircraft reportedly lost around 300 feet of altitude, with 20 passengers and four cabin crew members sustaining injuries.
The pilot-in-command subsequently tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory drug test. The pilot reportedly told investigators that he had been prescribed sleeping medication because of personal problems and claimed that the medication contributed to the positive test.
The pilot's conduct during the flight is also being examined following complaints from cabin crew members.
According to accounts being investigated, the pilot appeared to be under the influence of psychoactive substances during the flight. One allegation is that he repeatedly sat on the cockpit floor and attempted to smoke before cabin crew members intervened.
The government has directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to review its drug-testing framework and increase the proportion of aviation personnel subjected to mandatory testing.
Officials are also considering clearer rules to distinguish positive tests caused by prescribed medication from cases involving prohibited drugs or recreational consumption.
Also read: Marijuana, sleep meds: New details in AI Phuket-Delhi flight case
Personnel whose positive results are linked to legitimate medication could be given additional opportunities, while stricter penalties could be imposed in cases involving prohibited or recreational drug use.
The government warning comes as the aviation sector remains under scrutiny following the Air India Ahmedabad crash in June, which killed 260 people. The final report into that accident is yet to be released.
Officials have also raised concerns over the multiple warnings recorded during the Phuket-Delhi flight.
An Airbus team is in India to examine the reported technical issues along with officials from the French aviation regulator. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is also examining whether the warnings were genuine or spurious and what may have triggered them.
The alerts reportedly involved all three hydraulic systems, doors and the aircraft elevator, while the autopilot also disengaged.
Several pilots have questioned whether all the warnings could have represented genuine simultaneous failures, arguing that an aircraft facing failures of such magnitude would normally be expected to divert rather than continue for nearly two hours before landing safely.
The incident has also renewed scrutiny of existing DGCA rules governing testing of aviation personnel for psychoactive substances, with senior pilots seeking clearer provisions for distinguishing medication-related results from drug abuse.
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