Air India pilots face mandatory drug tests after drop

Air India has directed immediate substance screening for its entire pilot workforce after an August 4 flight from Phuket to Delhi experienced an altitude loss of about 91 meters, leaving 17 passengers and crew injured.

The airline said in an internal memo that it is expanding testing beyond existing regulatory requirements, describing the move as a step aimed at reassuring passengers and the wider public.

Expanded program goes beyond India’s minimum rules

Under India’s existing rules, airlines were required to conduct random drug and alcohol tests covering at least 10 percent of pilots. Air India’s internal memo said it was “important to go further” than that minimum standard.

According to the airline, the broadened testing will cover illicit substances and also medications that are prohibited under aviation regulations.

Air India said screening will be carried out alongside training sessions at the airline’s academy, as well as at other locations including briefing centers and corporate offices.

Preliminary report cites retest requirement for senior pilot

The decision follows a preliminary report into the August 4 incident which said the senior pilot was required to retake a substance test.

Reports cited in the source material said the initial result suggested marijuana. Air India has not publicly detailed the test finding in the memo referenced in the source material.

Both pilots have been removed from duty while Indian authorities investigate the incident, working alongside Airbus and France’s air safety agency, according to the report.

Safety scrutiny since the June 2025 crash

The airline has faced heightened attention over operational safety since a June 2025 crash on a flight from Ahmedabad to London that killed 241 people on board and 19 on the ground; one passenger survived, according to the report.

Officials have not linked the August 4 altitude drop to any specific cause in the information provided. The investigation is continuing, and the airline’s internal testing initiative is being rolled out in parallel.

Budget arm also included; timing remains an open question The new testing requirement also applies to pilots at Air India, the airline’s budget arm, sources said.

An open question raised in the source material is how quickly Air India can complete testing across its full pilot roster while the investigation into the August 4 incident continues.

Air India’s memo positioned the expanded program as an additional safety assurance measure, while authorities continue to examine the circumstances around the altitude loss and the resulting injuries.