Canada asks Air India to probe incident of pilot reporting for duty under influence of alcohol, source says

Canada’s transportation regulator has asked Air India to investigate the case of a pilot who reported for duty under the influence of alcohol and failed two breathalyzer tests, a person familiar with the matter said.

The person said the tests were carried out by Canadian police at Vancouver International Airport after the pilot was asked to leave the plane.

The person added that Transport Canada had labeled the incident a “serious matter” in a letter to Air India and authorities would likely take enforcement action.

The person asked to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Transport Canada did not respond to an emailed request for comment outside normal business hours.

In a statement, Air India confirmed that the flight from Vancouver to Delhi on December 23 experienced a last-minute delay due to the incident and added that a replacement pilot was brought in to operate the flight.

“The pilot has been removed from flying duties pending the investigation process. Air India maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards any violation of applicable rules and regulations,” Air India said. “Depending on the outcome of the investigation, any confirmed violations will be subject to strict disciplinary action in line with company policy.”

In his letter, Transport Canada official Ajit Oommen asked Air India to submit its findings and details of steps taken to prevent future incidents by Jan. 26, a person familiar with the matter said.

India has been under intense scrutiny since the Boeing Dreamliner crash on June 12 that killed 260 people. India’s aviation regulator has flagged multiple security vulnerabilities at the airline, which was previously owned by the government until 2022.

Pilots at Air India, owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, were also examined. This week, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation sent warning notices to four Air India pilots, citing “serious safety concerns” regarding regulatory compliance and flight crew decision-making.

The DGCA said it accepted an aircraft for operation last year despite pilots having prior knowledge of “repeated glitches” and “existing system degradations”, according to warning notices dated December 29. Reuters. According to Flightradar24, the plane is a Boeing 787 used for long-haul flights.