Air India co-pilot suspended after failing alcohol test before Zurich-Delhi flight

An Air India co-pilot was suspended after failing an alcohol test before a flight from Zurich to Delhi, weeks after another airline pilot tested positive for marijuana following a Phuket-Delhi flight.

According to NDTV, the first officer was removed from Air India flight AI 151 shortly before takeoff from Zurich Airport on September 6 after authorities suspected he had consumed alcohol, officials said. He failed a preliminary alcohol test, while the result of a secondary test conducted in Zurich is awaited.

The co-pilot was later sent back to India as a passenger and remains under suspension pending the final medical examination report, officials said.

The Zurich-Delhi flight could not operate as scheduled and was operated the following day.

The incident occurred during the mandatory pre-flight checks at Zurich Airport. After the first officer failed the preliminary alcohol test, he was removed from the aircraft before the flight could depart for Delhi.

A second test was also conducted in Zurich, with its result still awaited.

The co-pilot was subsequently repatriated to India as a passenger. His suspension will remain in place until the final medical examination report is available, according to officials.

Second case: Air India pilot had earlier tested positive for marijuana

The latest incident comes weeks after the pilot in command of an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi tested positive for marijuana in a drug test twice.

The incident involved Air India flight AI-2379, which was flying from Phuket to Delhi on August 4 when the aircraft suddenly lost about 300 feet of altitude while flying over Odisha.

The Airbus A320neo was carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members. More than 20 passengers and four crew members suffered injuries in the incident. The aircraft later landed safely in Delhi.

The pilot, Sudeep Vashistha, was dismissed after the drug-test results. He had said he was taking medication for "sleep difficulty".

Air India orders fresh dope tests for pilots

Following the incident, Air India ordered fresh mandatory dope tests for all its pilots.

The airline also said it had introduced additional measures to reinforce compliance among employees. These include mandatory testing for psychoactive substances, enhanced awareness programmes, stronger emphasis on reporting obligations and regulatory requirements, and continued monitoring of compliance trends and operational conduct.

The latest suspension of the Zurich-based co-pilot comes against the backdrop of these enhanced testing and compliance measures.