AI pilot who failed alcohol test sacked as director of operations

ON TUESDAY, THE AIRLINE’S PILOT UNION, INDIAN COMMERCIAL PILOTS ASSOCIATION, WROTE TO CIVIL AVIATION MINISTER SURESH PRABHU TO TERMINATE KATHPALIA

MUMBAI: A day after Air India suspended a pilot, Captain Arvind Kathpalia, for three years after he tested positive in breathalyser test before a flight, the airline has relieved him of duties as Director of Operations.

The post has been given to Captain Amitabh Singh, who is Executive Director of Training.

On Tuesday, the airline’s pilot union, Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA), wrote to civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu to terminate Kathpalia.

Referring to Kathpalia as a habitual offender, ICPA said he should not be assigned supervisory duties.

Captain Kathpalia did not respond to phone calls and text messages.

CAPTAIN AMITABH SINGH TAKES OVER

The order relieving Kathpalia from the charge of director of operations stated: ‘Taking cognisance of the serious nature of the transgression and failure to course correct even after an earlier suspension of flying licence of three months…. Minister of civil aviation has approved relieving Capt Kathpalia from the charge of director (operations), Air India with immediate effect and Captain Amitabh Singh, executive director (training) to be assigned the additional charge of the post of director (operations) with immediate effect till further orders.’

However, the order did not specify whether Kathpalia would continue as one of the board of directors of the airline.

ICPA’S letter mentioned the two incidents (Kathpalia skipped his mandatory preflight breathalyser test in January last year and he was tested positive for alcohol on Sunday) wherein the captain was found going against the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) rules.

Kathpalia, 56, was to fly over 200 passengers from New Delhi to London on Sunday afternoon but his mandatory pre-flight medical tests showed he was too drunk to commandeer the aircraft.

The letter stated, ‘We fail to understand as to why some of the top officials are bending over backwards to protect and elevate a person with such dubious track record. He is a habitual offender and in spite of media exposing all the wrong doings and the top officials being in the know of things he still continues to enjoy their protection. He has also used his official position to favour people...’