Air India orders drug screening for all pilots after Phuket-Delhi flight incident

Air India has ordered mandatory drug screening for every Air India and Air India Express pilot after the captain of a Phuket-Delhi service tested positive for marijuana twice.

The airline said testing started on Thursday and will run alongside training at its Gurugram Academy, as well as after flights at its briefing centres and offices. Air India described the programme as an additional safety measure beyond existing aviation rules.

The decision follows the August 4 incident involving AI-2379, which was carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members from Phuket to Delhi when it lost about 300 feet of altitude over Odisha. At least 20 passengers and four crew members were injured. The flight is already the subject of a DGCA investigation.

An internal safety report recorded the captain’s statement that he had been prescribed medication by his family doctor for sleep difficulty. Air India said the wider screening is intended to reinforce safety and professional standards across its pilot workforce.