Air India airlines blink at tipsy pilots

Chennai: The suspension of licenses of 151 pilots and cabin crew for failing the pre-boarding tests for alcohol consumption has caused angst among the flyers.  

Following repeated reports of pilots and cabin crew failing breath analyzer tests ahead of flights, aviation veterans insist only stringent action against the erring pilots would bring down the dangerous delinquency. They regret, however, that the airlines often adopt lackadaisical attitude towards pilots found on the ‘borderline’.

“Periodical breath analyser tests are mandatory and the acceptable level of alcohol in blood is the same world over. It is a shame that the number of pilots failing the alcohol test is not coming down. It shows, firstly, casualness on the part of pilots in coming to work after drinking. Secondly, the airlines are not taking action. Pilots are given three chances if they are found drunk ahead or after (international) flights. If they can’t take their jobs seriously, why should they be given so much liberty?” questioned Jitendra Bhargava, former Executive Director, Air India.

Another veteran with an airline carrier said, “Pilots are rare to find; there aren’t many of them, unlike the doctors, lawyers, and bankers. Is that a reason why the airlines are scared of touching their tipsy pilots?”

A pilot, who did not want to be named, said: “In our job, we cannot afford to mix pleasure with work. We must take our job seriously because it involves so many lives, apart from the aircraft itself. Besides, there is sufficient time to unwind between one flight and the next, so why drink close to the take-off time?”

The Parliament shock of the detection of 208 cases of erring pilots during 2015 and 2016 could unnerve air passengers, understandably. “I am scared taking my morning flight to Delhi on Saturday,” said Pawan Kumar, a frequent flyer.