In brief
Following a near‑crash in Phuket where a pilot allegedly tested positive for marijuana, Air India will now test every pilot for banned substances. The initiative, begun immediately, goes beyond the mandatory 10% random testing requirement. It covers pilots from both the main airline and its budget arm, Air India Express. The company also suspended the flight’s pilots pending investigation. This move follows last year’s deadly crash and marks a new chapter under CEO Tewolde Gebremariam.
Air India’s airline announced a sweeping test of all its pilots for banned substances, commencing immediately.
The decision follows an incident last week when a flight from Phuket to Delhi lost altitude abruptly. Preliminary reports stated the senior pilot had failed a substance test and was later found to have tested positive for marijuana.
The testing will cover all pilots in both the main airline and its budget arm, Air India Express, starting Thursday. It surpasses existing safety regulations that call for only 10% random inspections.
Seventeen people, including passengers and crew, were injured when the Airbus lost about 91 metres (300 feet) shortly after departure on 4 August. Indian authorities, Airbus and France’s air‑safety agency are investigating, with the flight’s pilots suspended until resolution.
In the same memo, Air India described the initiative as “going further” and a testament to its commitment to safety and professionalism for its passengers, stakeholders and the public.
This action is part of a broader effort to restore confidence after the 2025 Ahmedabad‑London crash that claimed 241 lives on board and 19 on the ground.
The tests will be conducted alongside training sessions at Air India’s Academy and at briefing centres and offices. The announcement comes shortly after Tewolde Gebremariam was appointed the airline’s new chief executive.
