Air India pilot union not satisfied with action against senior pilot

DGCA suspended Air India's senior pilot Kathpalia for three months for skipping the mandatory breath-analyser test before a flight.

New Delhi, Feb 15: Air India Pilot Union on Wednesday wrote a letter to Directorate General of Civil Aviation DGCA, saying that there are not satisfied with action taken against its senior Pilot Arvind Kathpalia, as he failed in the breath analyser test. Capt A Kathpalia was taken off flying duty on February 9 after pilots' union Indian Commercial Pilots Association complained against him.

Earlier on Wednesday, DGCA suspended Air India's senior pilot Kathpalia for three months for skipping the mandatory breath-analyser test before a flight.

The Air India Pilots Union Indian, the Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) had sent a legal notice to the DGCA for not taking proper actions against pilots for violation of breath analyser test.

The complaint was received from the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) that a senior executive pilot had evaded pre-flight medical test in the last 25 days at Delhi airport. Rule 24 of Aircraft Rules prohibits crew members from taking any alcoholic drink 12 hours prior to the commencement of a flight and it is mandatory for him or her to undergo an alcohol test both before and after operating a flight.

Any crew member who tests positive in the pre-flight medical check or refuses to take a breath analyzer test is required to be taken off flying duty for at least four weeks and the airline is required to initiate disciplinary proceedings.

Aircraft rules prohibit crew members from taking any alcohol 12 hours prior to a flight.

It is mandatory for the employee to undergo an alcohol test both before and after operating a flight. Any crew member who tests positive in the pre-flight medical check or refuses to take a breath-analyser test is required to be taken off flying duty for at least four weeks and the airline is required to initiate disciplinary proceedings.

OneIndia News (with PTI inputs)