Airline pilots are known to be high fliers, both professionally and socially, but the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is not amused that many pilots have recently been found “high” while on duty.
“During last one year, the total number of 42 alcohol positive cases were detected,” the DGCA said in response to a Right to Information (RTI) query by Abhishek Shukla, who sought details of pilots found drunk on duty.
The regulatory body for civil aviation in the country, which is also responsible for ensuring safety of operations, did not give any details about the pilots or the names of airlines involved, except to say that action “is taken against the crew members as per regulatory provisos.”
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The DGCA did not specify whether tipsy pilots were detected before they boarded the aircraft and whether they were prevented from operating a flight after alcohol was detected in their blood sample.
The nature of the action taken against them was also not revealed.