DGCA cracks the whip on 57 tipsy pilots

Services of 11 have been terminated; many have been kept off flying duties for three months

The Directorate-General of Civil Aviation has taken stringent action against 57 pilots who tested positive in pre-flight alcohol checks during 2009-10.

The regulator terminated the services of 11 “tipsy” pilots and many were kept off flying duties for three months with the loss of pay and allowances.

Pilots who tested positive belonged not only to the state-owned Air India but also to Jet Airways, JetLite, Kingfisher, Go Airlines, SpiceJet and IndiGo.

The civil aviation requirements, which the DGCA laid out last year, explains the procedure to be followed for pre-flight medical checks and the breath analyser test for alcohol consumption.

As of now, all crew members have to report for pre-flight medical checks, and 100 per cent checks of all crew members should be done, Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi recently said in the Rajya Sabha.

DGCA officials said they were keeping a close watch on pre-flight checks and taking action against pilots as per the civil aviation requirements.

If tested positive in an alcohol check, a first-time offender would be kept off flying duty and his licence suspended for three months.

If he committed the offence again, his licence would be cancelled for five years.