DGCA mandates breath analyser tests for crew

MUMBAI: Taking into account the rising number of Covid-19 cases across the country in the ongoing second wave, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Thursday issued guidelines on breath analyser (BA) tests for airlines and airports across the country. This comes after the Delhi high court ordered DGCA to issue guidelines stating all requirements and protocols to be followed for administration of BA test.

DGCA said a maximum of 5% pilots and cabin crew members will be subjected to random preflight BA test on a daily basis, subject to the limit that not more than six people shall be tested in any hour of the day. The aviation regulator also made Air Traffic Controllers (ATCO) subject to random BA test before their daily duty.

Pilots from Air India and other airlines had earlier written to DGCA to stop BA tests since they aggravate the risk of getting infected. A senior Air India pilot said, “We wanted the government to stop BA tests completely for air crew, as it was done last year. The effect of the second wave in the country is huge and we are only risking our lives by conducting BA test even on a random basis.”

DGCA, however, clarified that the new guidelines are temporary in view of Covid-19 and will remain in effect till three months. The restoration of provisions of Civil Aviation Requirements on this will be reviewed after three months.

The regulator clarified that to ensure safety, every aviation personnel reporting for duty is required to submit an undertaking stating that he/she is not under the influence of alcohol and that he/she has not consumed alcohol in the last 12 hours from the time of reporting for duty. DGCA also mentioned that the undertaking must contain a warning that in case of violation of the undertaking, strict action will be taken.

“Cockpit crew, cabin crew and ATCO shall submit the undertaking in presence of medical staff, and the same shall be captured on camera,” the order read.