Six pilots take off without alcohol test, DGCA livid

New Delhi: The failure of an airline doctor to turn up at Mumbai airport in time to conduct the mandatory pre-flight alcohol test on pilots before they began operations for the day fuelled deep concern among Indian aviation authorities recently. As many as six pilots of a low-cost carrier took off on their first flight from Mumbai, came to Delhi and then operated more flights from here too on that day before finally undergoing the medical test.
Since there have been several instances of pilots being caught drunk or even evading tests to avoid getting detected in that state, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) immediately grounded the six of them and sought an explanation from the airline. "The pilots took off from Mumbai without the pre-flight test. They took off again from Delhi without taking the post-flight test. A serious note was taken of this and an explanation was sought from the airline," said a senior official.
IndiGo's outgoing president Bruce Ashby said this had happened last week.
While this particular episode happened because of a doctor not being present to conduct the tests, there have been several instances in the past when commercial airline pilots have been caught drunk. In fact, some months back a couple of pilots reported to Mumbai airport for operating flights but went away as soon as they got to know that surprise tests were being conducted.
14/09/08 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Sep 2008, Safety Sep 2008