Two more Air India pilots have reportedly failed the airline’s preliminary drug screening, widening scrutiny of crew safety and monitoring procedures at the Tata-owned carrier. The development comes days after the pilot-in-command of Air India flight AI2379, operating from Phuket to Delhi on August 4, reportedly tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory test after the aircraft suddenly lost around 300 feet of altitude, injuring passengers and crew.
The latest reports concern preliminary screenings and do not, by themselves, establish that the pilots were under the influence while flying. Confirmatory laboratory testing will be required before any final conclusion or disciplinary action. The incident has prompted Air India to begin mandatory substance testing for all its pilots, while Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu has said the government is taking the matter seriously and asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to review existing testing rules.
More Pilots Under Scrutiny As Testing Widens
The reported preliminary failures have emerged as Air India expands its screening programme beyond the minimum regulatory requirement. The airline has begun mandatory prohibited-substance testing for its more than 5,000 pilots, including those working with Air India Express, with checks planned during training, after flights and at designated locations.
The move follows the Phuket-Delhi incident and the subsequent confirmatory positive test involving the flight’s captain. Air India has said the expanded programme is aimed at strengthening safety standards and reassuring passengers and other stakeholders. The Civil Aviation Ministry has also stepped up its oversight, with the minister seeking an update from the DGCA on regulations governing psychoactive-substance testing and indicating that stricter requirements are being considered.
What Happened On The Phuket-Delhi Flight?
Flight AI2379, an Airbus A320neo carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members, experienced a sudden altitude loss of about 300 feet while flying over Odisha on August 4. Several people were injured, with later reports putting the number at 24 passengers and crew members. Both pilots were removed from flying duties while the incident was investigated.
The captain’s initial psychoactive-substance screening was reported as “not negative”, following which the sample was sent for laboratory confirmation. A later confirmatory test reportedly detected marijuana. However, investigators have not established that the drug finding caused the aircraft’s altitude loss. In fact, Airbus has since said its preliminary technical analysis indicated a brief loss of hydraulic pressure across the aircraft’s three hydraulic systems, leaving key flight controls unresponsive for about four seconds.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is examining the aircraft’s systems, flight data, maintenance history and crew actions, with Airbus and France’s BEA assisting the investigation.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Passenger safety depends not only on the professionalism of individual crew members but also on strong systems that identify risks before they become emergencies. The reported preliminary failures should therefore be investigated seriously, but they should not be treated as final proof of substance use while operating an aircraft. Confirmatory testing, due process and an evidence-based investigation are essential to distinguish a genuine safety violation from a preliminary screening result that may require further medical or laboratory assessment.
At the same time, Air India and regulators must examine whether existing monitoring systems are sufficient, particularly when public confidence in aviation safety is already under pressure. Stronger testing should go hand in hand with transparent procedures, proper medical safeguards and accountability at every level. How can airlines strengthen safety checks while ensuring that investigations remain fair, transparent and based on confirmed evidence?
2 more Air India pilots fail to clear first urine test to detect banned/prohibited substances in their bloodstream. Results of second test may take another 24-48 hours. More than 300 pilots tested over weekend after AI pilot from Phuket to Delhi tested positive for Marijuana
— Vishnu Som (@VishnuNDTV) August 17, 2026
