NEW DELHI: Two more Air India pilots have been grounded after they tested positive in the initial dope test conducted by the airline for over 300 pilots since August 13. Results of the second confirmatory test is awaited.
Air India and Air India Express are mandatorily testing its nearly 5,000-strong cockpit crew after the Flight Captain of the Phuket-Delhi flight (AI 2379) tested positive for marijuana last week. The screening is conducted to check for substances or medications not permissible under regulations.
“So far, between 300 and 400 pilots have been screened. Two pilots among them tested non-negative,” said a source. Non-negative indicates that there are traces of substances but the result can be called positive only after a confirmatory test.
Captain C S Randhawa , president of the Federation of Indian Pilots said, “If the first test turns out to be positive, the pilots have to be taken off duty. As of now, three out of the 300-odd pilots tested by Air India, which amounts to one per cent, have tested positive. This is very high and strict action is required, and saliva testing is recommended.”
In this context, Randhawa on Monday wrote to the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, and the Civil Aviation Secretary to carry out swab testing (saliva) of pilots. “Australia is the first country to go in for this kind of testing for its pilots. This can be done before the flight trip and the results will be out in 15 minutes. An easy and reliable result can be obtained before the flight trip commences,” he said.
Asked about the general rule pertaining to screening texts, Captain Mohan Ranganathan, an aviation safety consultant, said, “The pilots have to be grounded until the results of the second test come”
In its response, Air India said that it did not have details regarding the nature of the sample collected for the second confirmatory test, the status of the pilots after the first test or any other details.