Eight ‘tipsy’ pilots from Delhi sacked: aviation body

Delhi accounted for half the cases of drunkenness among pilots detected last year, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Delhi accounted for half the cases of drunkenness among pilots detected last year, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

HT Image

Out of the 42 cases of pilots reporting drunk for duty, as many as 21 cases were detected at Delhi airport.

Another 11 were found under the influence of alcohol at Mumbai airport.

In response to an Right to Information (RTI) enquiry by Abhishek Shukla, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has now revealed some details of the disciplinary action taken against the “tipsy” pilots.

Eight of the pilots who tested positive for alcohol on duty were sacked and and the remainder were suspended or taken off flying duty for periods ranging from 30 days to three months.

The DGCA did not disclose the names of the pilots, the airlines for which they were working, or the details of the flights they were preparing to operate.

As many as 28 of the 42

pilots are still flying, presumably after serving out their suspension period.

The DGCA is the regulatory body for civil aviation in India and is responsible for ensuring safety of operations.

Aviation authorities around the world, including the International Civil Aviation Organisation, mandate a zero tolerance to alcohol for pilots and cabin crew.