In a first for India, the national flag carrier is mulling random drug tests on its pilots and cabin crew.
Local media got wind of the proposal in a memo shared with top officials titled ‘safety recommendations for psychoactive substances.’
In it, officials have been asked to draw up a procedure to randomly test employees.
While cabin crew at all airlines routinely take pre and post-flight breath analyser tests, no random test have been carried for drug abuse.
"There is no specific regulation monitoring drug testing…It is recommended that the medical department is asked to devise a process for doing random testing for drugs as a safety initiative," the note sebt from chief of flight safety, Harpreet A De Singh to top executives said.
A senior airline source says Air India plans to go ahead with the ‘pioneering’ plan to improve flight safety in India.
Under current alcohol testing rules, a pilot can be grounded for three months for a first offence, three years for a second, and indefinitely for a third offence.
