2 CREW MEMBERS FLUNK PRE-FLIGHT ALCOHOL TEST
MUMBAI: A senior commander and a first officer scheduled to operate two different domestic flights for a budget airline from Mumbai on January 1 tested positive at a pre-flight alcohol test as air safety watchdogs delayed their annual checks to take flight crew by surprise.
According to officials from the Directorate General of the Civil Aviation, since annual checks conducted on New Years’ Eve had become predictable, they decided to alter the timings this year. “Normally the tests are conducted at December 31 last night or in the wee hours. This year we began the checks during the day on Friday to take flight crew by surprise,” said a senior DGCA official, requesting anonymity. Around 350 pilots and cabin crew were tested during the process.
Officials added that domestic airlines had themselves raised the standards of the checks following warnings from the regulator. “Earlier, the checks were randomly conducted on select flights. But now it is mandatory for all flights. Offenders’ numbers have therefore dropped,” said another DGCA official, adding that it was probing complaints of false pre-flight medical check records maintained by a full service carrier in Chennai.
The pilots caught found drunk on duty on Friday will not be allowed to fly for three months, according to the DGCA rules. The regulator, however, faced flak from air safety experts for relaxing the punishment for inebriated aviators last year. Before the amendment that came into effect in June 2014, repeat offenders would be benched for life. Now, their flying licences are suspended for three years and those caught for the