Air Deccan's South American pilot grounded for drinking

Air Deccan has suspended the pilot who was caught drunk on Monday morning, its spokesperson told DNA on Tuesday.

A breath-analyser test by the air safety team of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on the wee hours of Monday revealed that Captain N Ronaldo (48), a South American, had consumed alcohol.

The DGCA conducted the surprise check on 350 cabin and cockpit members of 40 airlines at the domestic and international airports between 3am and 8:30am, to ensure that safety norms were being followed by airline operators and crew members, sources said.

Ronaldo was scheduled to fly the DN-641 with 180 passengers to Kolkata on Monday at 5:35am.

“This is the first instance that a pilot from our airlines has been found drunk on duty,” said the Air Deccan spokesperson. “He has been barred from flying till the inquiry into the matter is over,” the spokesperson added.

According to air safety norms, pilots and crew members of domestic and international flights cannot consume liquor while on duty.

DGCA sources said similar surprise checks were conducted in all the other metros. Such checks were routinely conducted to ensure passenger safety, they said.

In another violation recorded during the same surprise check, a GoAir pilot was found checking in in a T-shirt and not in regular uniform.

When questioned, he reportedly told DGCA officials that the company had provided him only one set of uniform, which was in the laundry. He was let off with a warning, sources said.