Air India expands drug testing to every pilot after Phuket–Delhi incident

NEW DELHI: Air India has moved beyond the regulatory minimum by introducing mandatory substance testing for all pilots, including those at Air India Express. The decision follows the August 4 incident involving an Airbus A320neo operating from Phuket to Delhi that lost about 300 feet during cruise. The captain subsequently tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory test, according to Reuters.

Indian regulations currently require airlines to randomly test at least 10% of flight crew annually for psychoactive substances. The expanded programme will include testing around training, post-flight procedures and designated pilot-base locations.

The development comes as Air India continues expanding and restructuring its network while Air India Express continues to build international connectivity. The low-cost carrier has recently restored its full West Asia network and announced new international services including Guwahati–Dubai and Guwahati–Abu Dhabi and the Goa–Dubai route.

The broader operational environment also matters. India’s aviation sector is simultaneously dealing with fleet utilisation, maintenance and capacity pressures, including the growth of India’s MRO infrastructure and incidents affecting Air India’s A320 fleet.

Why it matters: The move puts aviation safety, crew compliance and passenger confidence firmly back at the centre of India’s airline recovery story. It is also likely to intensify scrutiny of airline safety-management systems, operational procedures and corporate governance.