Govt asks Air India to ‘take responsibility’, tells DGCA to improve dope checks

The Indian government has reprimanded Air India, demanding the airline assume accountability for ensuring operational safety. The aviation ministry has also mandated the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to expedite revisions to its drug-testing regulations and increase the mandatory testing rate for personnel. The government has directed the aviation regulator to impose stricter penalties on those testing positive for actual drugs, while providing more leniency to those whose positive results are attributed to medications.

The incident occurred on August 4 when Air India's flight from Phuket to Delhi, carrying 145 passengers, encountered a series of alarms related to the aircraft's hydraulics systems, doors, and elevator. The flight's pilot-in-command claimed that he had been prescribed sleeping pills due to personal issues, which led to a positive drug test.

Cabin crew members reported concerns about the pilot's behavior. The final report of a previous Air India crash in Ahmedabad on June, resulting in 260 deaths, is yet to be released, and the government has expressed a zero-tolerance stance on such incidents. Aviation Secretary Samir Sinha has made it clear that heads will roll for those found guilty by the probe.