Air India Group orders drug tests for all pilots after 300ft flight plunge

New Delhi: Air India has ordered drug screening for all pilots across Air India and Air India Express following the controversy over a captain who twice tested positive for marijuana after a Phuket-Delhi flight suddenly lost altitude, NDTV reported.

The fresh screening begins immediately and will cover all pilots in the Air India Group, according to a formal communication sent by the airline to employees and accessed by NDTV.

Air India said the initiative goes beyond existing regulatory requirements and is intended to reinforce safety and restore confidence among passengers and other stakeholders.

“As you know, Air India already fully complies with all regulatory requirements prescribed by India’s DGCA, which are similar to those practiced in other major aviation jurisdictions including Europe and the United States. We nevertheless now feel that it is important to go further,” the airline said.

“Accordingly, we have decided to undertake a full screening of all Group pilots for any substances or medications that are not permitted under prevailing regulations.”

Testing will be carried out alongside training at Air India’s Gurugram Academy as well as after flights at the airline’s flight briefing centres and offices.

“This initiative, which goes beyond regulatory requirements, reflects our determination to uphold the highest standards of safety and professionalism, and to provide reassurance to our passengers, stakeholders and the community at large,” Air India said.

The airline described passenger trust as its “most important asset”, adding that it was vital to do everything possible to protect it.

Pilot tested positive twice

The move follows an incident involving Air India flight AI-2379 from Phuket to Delhi on August 4.

The aircraft, carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members, suddenly lost around 300 feet of altitude over Odisha. At least 20 passengers and four crew members were injured.

The pilot in command, Sudeep Vashistha, subsequently tested positive for marijuana in two drug tests, NDTV reported, citing sources.

An incident report accessed by the broadcaster indicated that Vashistha was not in his seat when the aircraft lost altitude, with the co-pilot flying the Airbus A320neo at the time.

According to NDTV’s sources, the captain later went into the cabin to check on injured passengers and allegedly asked them not to film him or the aircraft.

After landing in Delhi, he appeared unsteady on his feet and had to be helped to sit down, the report said. An investigating officer also physically assisted him while he provided a urine sample.

Pilot cites sleep medication

According to an internal flight safety report accessed by NDTV, Vashistha said he had been taking medication for “sleep difficulty”.

“I disclose, for completeness, that I had separately been experiencing sleep difficulty over a preceding period, related to personal circumstances, for which I had been prescribed medication by my family doctor,” he said in a statement.

He said he had struggled to sleep during the layover before the flight.

“During the layover, I personally attempted rest; sleep did not come easily, and I judged that light activity such as walking would be constructive for sleep quality,” he said.

Vashistha also raised concerns about the scheduling of roster duties. While acknowledging that they were within legally prescribed rest limits, he said they “compressed available daytime rest, which is often below the minimum required for adequate recovery”.

Air India’s decision means the fallout from the August 4 incident has now expanded beyond the individual pilot, with the airline subjecting its entire pilot workforce to additional screening for prohibited substances and medications.