Air India has launched an expanded testing programme covering all its pilots, going beyond existing regulatory requirements as the airline faces heightened scrutiny following the serious incident involving its Phuket-Delhi flight earlier this month.
The Tata Group-owned carrier said on Tuesday that the exercise had been undertaken voluntarily as part of its commitment to safety and professional standards. It also urged stakeholders to avoid drawing conclusions from preliminary or unverified information while the testing process remains underway.
The move follows the August 4 incident involving Air India flight AI2379, an Airbus A320neo flying from Phuket to Delhi, which suddenly lost around 300 feet of altitude after suffering a rare hydraulic-system malfunction. The episode injured passengers and crew and has triggered investigations into both the aircraft's technical failure and other circumstances surrounding the flight.
Testing goes beyond mandate
Air India said its latest programme covers all pilots and goes beyond the testing presently required under aviation regulations.
Under existing rules, airlines are required to randomly test at least 10 per cent of flight crew members annually for psychoactive substances. Air India's expanded exercise is substantially broader, encompassing pilots across Air India and Air India Express.
The airline has maintained that the exercise demonstrates its commitment to safety and professionalism and has cautioned against speculation while individual cases are still being assessed.
Reports indicate that hundreds of pilots have already undergone screening since the programme began.
Two pilots taken off duty
The exercise came under further attention after two pilots returned “non-negative” results during preliminary screenings. They have been taken off flying duties while their samples undergo confirmatory testing. A preliminary non-negative result does not by itself constitute a final positive finding.
Reports suggest between 300 and 400 pilots had provided samples as of the latest available update. Air India and Air India Express together employ several thousand pilots, meaning the exercise is expected to continue as the carrier works through its cockpit workforce.
The airline has specifically urged that conclusions should await completion of the process and verification of the results.
Phuket flight triggered scrutiny
The expanded testing follows the incident aboard AI2379 on August 4.
Airbus' preliminary assessment found that the aircraft suffered a highly unusual sequence in which pressure was lost in all three hydraulic systems. The green hydraulic system failed first, followed almost immediately by the blue and yellow systems.
For approximately four seconds, critical flight-control surfaces including the elevators and ailerons were unresponsive. The aircraft lost roughly 300 feet before hydraulic pressure recovered and the pilots regained control.
The flight subsequently landed safely in Delhi. The incident has been classified as serious and is being investigated by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, with Airbus and France's BEA involved in the technical examination.
Captain's test under lens
Separate scrutiny arose after the pilot-in-command was reported to have tested positive for marijuana following the flight. The development prompted Air India to broaden substance screening across its pilot workforce.
However, investigators have not established that drug use caused the aircraft's sudden altitude loss. Preliminary technical evidence has instead identified the temporary failure of the aircraft's hydraulic systems as central to the loss of flight controls.
The investigation is examining flight data, maintenance records, crew statements and other evidence to establish precisely why all three hydraulic systems lost pressure in such rapid succession.
Both pilots operating the aircraft were removed from flying duties pending the investigation.
Pilots seek testing changes
The controversy has also prompted the Federation of Indian Pilots to seek changes in India's testing regime.
The pilots' body has asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to consider oral-fluid or saliva-based testing alongside the existing urine-based system for detecting psychoactive substances. It has argued that faster testing methods could strengthen screening while maintaining appropriate safety standards.
The representation comes as aviation authorities and Air India face pressure to ensure that testing procedures are both rigorous and scientifically reliable.
Airline urges caution
Air India's latest statement appears aimed partly at addressing speculation surrounding preliminary testing results while reassuring passengers and regulators about the scale of its response.
The carrier has emphasised that the programme exceeds regulatory requirements and that assessments involving individual pilots should be based only on verified findings.
The broader exercise comes at a sensitive time for Air India as it continues a major operational transformation while simultaneously facing intense scrutiny over safety standards.
For investigators, two questions remain distinct: what caused the extraordinary hydraulic failure aboard AI2379, and whether any personnel-related issues uncovered through subsequent testing have implications for aviation safety.
Until the investigations and confirmatory tests are completed, Air India has maintained that conclusions should be reserved for verified evidence rather than preliminary findings.