Air India Express has suspended eight crew members for three months after they failed to complete a mandatory post-flight breathalyser test within the prescribed time limit following an international flight.
The crew members include four pilots and four cabin crew members. The incident involved Air India Express flight AX 192, which operated from Dubai to Amritsar on August 2, 2026. The aircraft arrived at Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport in Amritsar at around 9.50 am.
Under the applicable aviation regulations, crew members operating international flights for Indian airlines are required to undergo a post-flight alcohol test within two hours of landing in India. In this case, the crew completed the test after two hours and 35 minutes, exceeding the prescribed period by 35 minutes.
According to reports, the crew members had completed their post-arrival formalities before leaving for their allotted hotel. One member of the crew was reportedly unwell, according to a source cited by The New Indian Express. The crew later returned to the airport to undergo the mandatory breathalyser examination.
The delay in completing the test resulted in the airline treating the matter as a regulatory violation. Air India Express subsequently reported the incident to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, or DGCA, and removed all eight crew members from duty.
The airline then imposed a three-month suspension on the crew members. The action reportedly included two pilots-in-command, two co-pilots and four cabin crew members. Importantly, all eight members tested negative for alcohol when the breathalyser test was eventually conducted.
The case therefore relates to a delay in completing the mandatory examination rather than a positive alcohol test. The distinction is significant because the available reports do not indicate that any of the suspended crew members were found to have consumed alcohol before or during their flight duty.
The incident has drawn attention to the importance of compliance with post-flight testing procedures for airline crew. Such testing forms part of aviation safety measures intended to monitor whether flight crew comply with regulations concerning alcohol consumption and fitness-related requirements.
The DGCA has established procedures governing alcohol testing for pilots and other crew members operating flights. For international operations, the post-flight testing requirement applies after the aircraft returns to India. Airlines are responsible for ensuring that the required procedures are followed within the specified time.
In the Air India Express case, the airline voluntarily reported the violation to the aviation regulator, according to reports. The crew members were removed from duty and subsequently suspended in accordance with the regulatory requirements cited by the airline.
Reports also indicated that the crew had several post-arrival responsibilities following the international flight. These included operational documentation, logbook entries, reporting of operational matters and completing Customs and Immigration procedures. According to a source cited in the media reports, the crew members overlooked the breathalyser test while completing these procedures.
The incident comes at a time when aviation authorities and airlines are placing increased attention on alcohol and psychoactive-substance testing among flight crew. Recent developments in the Indian aviation sector have renewed discussions about the effectiveness and scope of testing procedures.
India Today reported that the incident followed increased scrutiny of crew testing after an Air India Phuket to Delhi flight experienced a sudden loss of altitude during cruise. Following that incident, Air India announced expanded psychoactive-substance screening for pilots across the Air India group, including Air India Express.
The expanded screening programme reportedly goes beyond the existing regulatory requirement for random testing of at least a specified proportion of flight crew annually. According to the report, Air India began additional screening at multiple locations, including during training, after flights and at designated base locations.
The government has also discussed possible changes to the testing system. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu had previously indicated that the government was considering a system under which pilots could undergo drug testing annually, rather than relying only on random testing covering a portion of pilots each year.
The Air India Express case is separate from those developments but highlights the importance of following the existing procedures. The suspension was imposed because the required post-flight breathalyser test was not completed within the prescribed period.
For passengers, the incident does not indicate that the flight was operated by crew members who tested positive for alcohol. The reports specifically state that all eight crew members subsequently tested negative. The regulatory issue was the delay in completing the mandatory examination.
The airline's decision to report the matter to the DGCA and remove the crew members from duty demonstrates the regulatory consequences associated with non-compliance with prescribed testing procedures. The three-month suspension applies to the eight crew members involved in the incident.
The case may also contribute to broader discussions within the aviation industry about how airlines can ensure that mandatory post-flight procedures are completed on time, particularly after international operations involving multiple arrival formalities.
Airlines operate under detailed safety and compliance requirements, and breathalyser testing is one component of the regulatory framework governing flight crew. Timely completion of such tests allows airlines and regulators to maintain records and verify compliance with aviation safety requirements.
The Air India Express incident occurred on August 2, while the suspension was reported in September. The airline has taken disciplinary action and informed the aviation regulator about the delayed testing.
Further regulatory action, if any, would depend on the DGCA's assessment of the reported violation and the applicable rules. Based on the available reports, the immediate action taken by Air India Express was the removal of the crew from duty followed by a three-month suspension.
The incident has once again highlighted the importance of strict adherence to aviation safety procedures. While the eight crew members were found negative for alcohol, their failure to complete the mandatory breathalyser examination within the required two-hour window resulted in disciplinary action.