No alcohol found, but 8 Air India Express crew suspended: What triggered action?

Air India Express has suspended eight crew members for three months after they failed to complete a mandatory post-flight breathalyser test within the prescribed two-hour period, although all eight later tested negative for alcohol.

Eight Air India Express crew members have been suspended for three months after delaying a mandatory post-flight breathalyser test following an international flight.

The crew members were operating the Dubai-Amritsar flight on August 2. They were required to complete the test within two hours of landing at Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport in Amritsar.

However, the test was completed two hours and 35 minutes after landing, exceeding the prescribed window by 35 minutes.

Airline reports violation to DGCA

Air India Express reported the violation to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and removed all eight crew members from duty.

The airline subsequently suspended them for three months, according to sources cited in the report.

Importantly, all eight crew members tested negative for alcohol. The disciplinary action was linked to the delayed completion of the mandatory test rather than a positive alcohol result.

Why the two-hour window matters

Post-flight breathalyser testing is part of aviation safety procedures designed to check whether flight crew have consumed alcohol in a period that could affect their ability to perform safety-sensitive duties.

The requirement means that completing the test outside the prescribed period can itself constitute a regulatory violation, regardless of the eventual test result.

Action follows scrutiny over crew testing

The latest action comes amid increased scrutiny of psychoactive-substance testing among airline crew following the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight incident.

An Airbus A320 operating the route experienced a sudden loss of altitude of around 300 feet during cruise. The incident was classified as a serious incident and is being investigated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

Both pilots underwent prescribed psychoactive-substance screening. The captain's initial screening required confirmatory testing, and the pilots were taken off the roster pending further investigation. The captain subsequently tested positive for marijuana in the confirmatory test, according to the report.

Air India expands testing

Following the Phuket-Delhi incident, Air India announced mandatory psychoactive-substance screening for all pilots across the Air India group, including Air India Express.

The expanded testing goes beyond the existing regulatory requirement for random testing of at least 10% of flight crew annually.

The additional screening began on August 13 and is being conducted at multiple locations, including during training, after flights and at designated base locations.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said in August that the government was considering a system under which all pilots could undergo a dope test once a year.

The existing framework requires random testing covering at least 10% of pilots annually.

The Air India Express case highlights the distinction between testing positive for alcohol and failing to complete a mandatory safety procedure on time. The eight crew members reportedly tested negative, but the delayed test was still treated as a violation and resulted in disciplinary action.

The incident also comes as Indian aviation authorities and airlines are placing greater focus on psychoactive-substance testing following recent concerns involving flight crew. The proposed expansion to annual testing for all pilots would represent a broader testing framework than the current random-testing requirement.