As many as 151 pilots and crew members tested positive for alcohol during pre-flight medical examination in the first ten months this year and action has been taken against them, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said today.
A total of 38 pilots and 113 cabin crew have tested alcohol positive during pre-flight medical examination for consumption of alcohol from January 1 to October 31 this year, he said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
Acting against such individuals, aviation regulator DGCA suspended privileges of license of pilots as well as privileges of authorisation of cabin crew.
"Further, the concerned airlines in compliance with DGCA's order, have grounded all these pilots and cabin crew," Mr Raju said.
Aircraft Rules prohibits consumption of intoxicating and psychoactive substances by persons acting as, or carried in aircraft for the purpose of acting as pilot, commander, navigator, engineer, cabin crew or the other operating member of the crew.
In a separate written reply, Mr Raju said 208 irregularities by pilots of various airlines have been reported to DGCA during 2015 and this year.
"A total of 15 irregularities by airlines have been reported to DGCA during last year and the current year 2016... In all the cases, relevant enforcement action has been taken against the pilots and the airlines concerned," he noted.
To a query, the minister said that as per available records, no recent case has been reported to DGCA for taxiing of aircraft by engineer under the influence of alcohol.
Without providing specific details, he said that during a recent surveillance carried out by the regulator, it was found that one of the scheduled airlines was not strictly adhering to the requirements regarding breath analyser check.
Navi Mumbai Airport To Be Operational In March 2025, Says Union Minister "All Airports To Be Audited": Minister To NDTV After Roof Collapse In Delhi "Ensure No Abnormal Surge": Centre On Airfare After Delhi Airport Ops Hit Karnataka's 100% Quota Bill For Kannadigas In Private Firms For These Posts Under-Fire Trainee IAS Officer Accuses Pune Collector Of Harassment Trainee IAS Officer Puja Khedkar Recalled To Academy, Training Put On Hold Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy To Speak At Republican National Convention JKSSB Constable Recruitment: Enrollment For 4,002 Posts Begins On July 30 Influential US Senator Convicted Of Acting As "Foreign Agent" For Egypt Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.