Air India to test all pilots for banned substances

The airline said in a memo that the move would reassure passengers and stakeholders Air India is to test all of its pilots for banned substances, starting immediately. It comes after an incident last week in which its Phuket to Delhi flight suddenly lost altitude, with a preliminary report saying the senior pilot had to retake their substance test. Reports say they had tested positive for marijuana. Pilots at the airline's budget arm, Air India Express, will also be subject to the tests from Thursday. Existing rules require at least 10% of pilots to be tested at random.

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Scoop News DeskIndia · Published Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 4:52 PM UTCUpdated Friday, August 14, 2026 at 4:21 PM UTC

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Seventeen passengers and crew were injured when the Airbus lost about 91 metres (300 feet) in height shortly after departure on 4 August. In a memo seen by the BBC, Air India said it was "important to go further" in its testing. "This initiative, which goes beyond regulatory requirements, reflects our determination to uphold the highest standards of safety and professionalism, and to provide reassurance to our passengers, stakeholders and the community at large," it said.

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