Air India Express has suspended eight of its crew members, including four pilots, for a period of three months for failing to comply with mandatory post-flight alcohol testing procedures. The disciplinary action stems from an incident involving a flight that arrived at Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport in Amritsar on August 2.
According to regulatory guidelines, all commercial airline crew members are required to undergo a breathalyzer test within two hours of landing at their destination. In this case, the crew of the Dubai-bound flight was expected to report for testing upon arrival but instead deviated from the protocol. Media reports indicate that the crew members proceeded directly to a nearby hotel rather than reporting to the airport's testing facility immediately after disembarking.
The crew eventually returned to the airport and underwent the breathalyzer test approximately two hours and thirty-five minutes after landing — well beyond the prescribed window. Officials confirmed that all eight crew members tested negative for alcohol during the delayed test, meaning no one was found to have been under the influence. However, the procedural violation itself is treated as a serious breach of aviation safety protocols by the airline.
Aviation experts note that while the crew members were not intoxicated, the rule exists specifically to prevent any possibility of impaired flying, and post-flight testing serves as a critical accountability measure. Flying a large commercial aircraft while impaired is among the most dangerous violations in civil aviation, which is why regulators enforce strict timelines even when no actual impairment is suspected.
Air India Express has so far not released an official statement detailing the internal probe into the matter. The suspension will remain in effect pending a review by the airline's safety and compliance division.
