Air India has terminated the employment of the pilot-in-command who operated its Phuket-Delhi flight after a mandatory drug screening returned positive for a psychoactive substance, the airline confirmed on Friday. The pilot, who held the rank of commander on the international sector, was removed from duties with immediate effect pending the outcome of the airline's internal review and any regulatory proceedings. The airline did not disclose the specific substance detected, the exact date of the test, or the original date of the Phuket-Delhi rotation involved.
In a statement, the Tata Group-owned carrier reiterated that it maintains a zero-tolerance policy on substance use by flight crew, a stance consistent with global civil aviation norms under the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Under Indian rules, pilots and cabin crew are subject to pre-employment and random drug screening, and a confirmed positive result typically triggers removal from safety-sensitive duties, suspension of licence privileges, and referral to the airline's medical board. A failed psychoactive substance test on a commander operating a long-haul international route raises immediate operational safety concerns, given that single-pilot incapacitation events on multi-hour sectors remain a documented aviation risk worldwide.
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The termination adds to a series of disciplinary actions Indian carriers have taken against crew in recent years as the country's aviation regulator has tightened oversight of pilot medical fitness. Indian carriers, including Air India, have in the past suspended and dismissed crew members who failed alcohol or drug breathalyser tests before flight departures, leading to penalties, fines, and in some cases suspension of pilot licences by the DGCA. The Phuket-Delhi sector is a popular leisure route catering to Indian tourists travelling to the Thai resort island and back, typically operated by narrow-body aircraft on a four-to-five-hour mission each way.
Air India, which was acquired by the Tata Group from the Government of India in January 2022, has been undergoing a large-scale operational and cultural transformation under its new ownership, including the induction of new aircraft, refurbishment of cabins, and recruitment of thousands of cockpit and cabin crew members. The carrier has positioned itself as a premium full-service international airline competing against established Gulf carriers, Singapore Airlines, and budget rivals IndiGo and SpiceJet. Safety culture and crew discipline have been central themes of the post-privatisation turnaround, with the airline repeatedly emphasising that any lapse affecting passenger safety will be dealt with firmly.
The airline said it has initiated the process of formally cancelling the pilot's operating privileges and withdrawing his security access credentials. It also stated that it would cooperate fully with the DGCA and any law enforcement agencies that choose to investigate the matter further. Air India has not yet released the name of the terminated commander or the specific tail number and aircraft type that operated the affected Phuket-Delhi rotation.
