DGCA has taken strict action against 41 airline crew members. Between 1 January 2022 and 30 April, 32 cabin crew and 9 pilots were found unfit in the breath analyzer test. According to this, all of them were found to be lightly intoxicated. DGCA has suspended all of them. Apart from this, action has been taken against seven other crew members. He did not appear in the BA test.
The DGCA issued a statement saying, out of these, two pilots and two cabin crew have been suspended for three years as they were found positive in the second test. Apart from this 37 other crew members have been suspended for three months. All of them were found positive during the BA test.
Let us tell you that within four months, DGCA has taken such action 48 times. DGCA is strictly paying attention that the crew members do not consume alcohol. The DGCA statement said that the crew members working even during the epidemic were subjected to BA test.
The DGCA last month said airlines should ensure that 50 per cent of their pilots and crew members undergo an ‘alcohol test’.
Prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, all crew members had to undergo this test to detect alcohol consumption before flight. However, when the pandemic struck, the investigation was postponed for a few months. After this, the investigation was resumed but only a small portion of the crew members were tested.