Soon, pilots, air crew may have to undergo alcohol test at transit airports

Pilots and crew members might soon be required to undergo breath analyser tests at transit airports in case they enter the terminal building during flight duty, according to draft norms issued by the DGCA.

The aviation regulator has proposed changes to the 'Procedure for medical examination of aircraft personnel for alcohol consumption' against the backdrop of more than 500 pilots and cabin crew of Air India coming under its scanner for allegedly skipping the pre-and post-flight alcohol tests this year.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has also proposed that repeated violation of breath analyser test norms could result in suspension of the pilot's licence for up to four years, subject to certain conditions.

At present, the quantum of punishment for the violations vary from three months to cancellation of pilot licence or grounding of cabin crew.

"During a flight duty period, if a crew member enters the terminal building at any transit airport, that crew member shall undergo the pre-flight breath analyser examination at that airport before undertaking the flight," as per the draft Civil Aviation Requirement
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