Air India mandates drug tests for all pilots after mid-air plunge

Air India has announced mandatory drug screening for all pilots starting Thursday, following a captain's positive marijuana test after a mid-air incident. Existing airline rules require at least 10% of flight crew members to be randomly tested for psychoactive substances annually. The company will implement a comprehensive screening of all Group pilots for any prohibited substances or medications, according to an internal memo.

On August 4, an Airbus A320 carrying 24 passengers lost about 300 feet of altitude shortly after departing from Thailand's Phuket for New Delhi. Reports indicate the main pilot smoked marijuana and tested positive in a second confirmatory test. Air India declined to share the results with local media. Indian investigators, supported by Airbus and France's civil aviation safety agency, are conducting a thorough examination of the flight evidence.

The incident occurred as Air India seeks to revamp its operations after a series of setbacks, including the June 2025 crash of Flight 171 from Ahmedabad to London, which killed 242 people on board and 19 on the ground. The airline recently appointed former Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam as its new chief executive.