Air India First Officer Suspended After Failing Alcohol Test at Zurich

An Air India first officer has been suspended after failing an alcohol test at Zurich Airport ahead of a flight to Delhi on September 6, officials said. The co-pilot was removed from the aircraft shortly before takeoff after authorities suspected he had consumed alcohol.

He failed a preliminary test, and the results of a secondary test conducted in Zurich are still awaited. The officer was later repatriated to India as a passenger and remains under suspension pending the final medical examination report.

The flight, AI 151, could not operate as scheduled and departed the following day.

In a statement, Air India said it maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards any violation of safety, regulatory or company protocols. The airline said any confirmed breach is dealt with firmly and action is taken in accordance with regulatory requirements and company policy.

The carrier added that it has reiterated to all flight crew the responsibility of operating to the highest standards of safety, professionalism and integrity. It conducts regular awareness and compliance training, mandates testing for psychoactive substances, and enforces strict disciplinary measures that may go beyond minimum regulatory requirements.

The incident comes weeks after another Air India pilot tested positive for marijuana twice following a Phuket-Delhi flight on August 4. The aircraft, AI-2379, carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members, lost about 300 feet of altitude while flying over Odisha. More than 20 passengers and four crew members were injured before the Airbus A320neo landed safely in Delhi.

The dismissed pilot, Sudeep Vashistha, said in a flight safety statement that he had been experiencing sleep difficulty and had been prescribed medication by his family doctor. He said he attempted rest during the layover and judged that light activity such as walking would help sleep quality.

Following that incident, Air India ordered fresh mandatory dope tests for all its pilots. The airline said it has taken additional measures, including mandatory testing for psychoactive substances, enhanced awareness programmes, reinforcement of reporting obligations and regulatory expectations, and continued monitoring of compliance trends and operational conduct.