Air India orders drug tests for all pilots

Air India will require all group pilots to undergo drug screening from Thursday after a captain involved in a serious mid-air incident reportedly tested positive for marijuana, according to an internal memo seen by AFP.

“We have decided to undertake a full screening of all Group pilots for any substances or medications that are not permitted under prevailing regulations,” the memo said. “Testing is mandatory and will start today.”

Existing rules require airlines to randomly test at least 10 percent of their flight crew each year for psychoactive substances.

On August 4, at least 24 passengers were injured when an Airbus A320 lost about 300 feet shortly after leaving Thailand's Phuket for New Delhi.

Local media reported that the main pilot had smoked marijuana and tested positive in a second confirmatory test. Air India said the results have not been shared with the airline.

Indian investigators have not commented on those reports but said they were closely examining evidence linked to the flight. The inquiry is being supported by Airbus and France's civil aviation safety agency, the BEA.

The incident came as Air India is seeking to overhaul its operations after a string of setbacks. Its reputation suffered a major blow in June 2025 when London-bound Flight 171 crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing all but one of the 242 people on board and 19 people on the ground.

Last week, the airline appointed former Ethiopian Airlines chief Tewolde Gebremariam as its new chief executive.