Boozing pilots will face ban

Worried over the growing number of cases involving drunken pilots and cabin crew, the central government is finalising stricter anti-alcohol rules where aircraft operators would have to ensure that crew members stay off alcohol much before a flight.

The new draft rules, formulated by the directorate general of civil aviation, categorically states that even 12 hours after a bout of drinking, when blood alcohol level is virtually zero, there was a decrement in task performance which could jeopardise flight safety.

The rules, likely to be finalised by next month, would be applicable to all scheduled and non-scheduled airlines, private air taxi operators, state government aircraft as well as all
helicopter operations. These would not only cover pilots and cabin crew, but also engineers who conduct mandatory checks on aircraft prior to take-off.

The rules would bind the aircraft operator to conduct pre-flight medical checks on cabin and flight crew for all aircraft operations on a daily but random basis, they said, adding that for any VIP operation, mandatory breathalyser tests would be conducted on the crew.

If a crew member tests positive during the alcohol check, he or she would not be allowed to operate the flight. Moreover, the crew member would not be rostered for further flying without the permission of the DGCA, the sources said.

Under the new rules, the crew members would have to sign an undertaking: “I confirm that I am not under the influence of alcohol,” while the doctors checking them would have to put on record all details concerning the tests carried out.

Apart from air operators, personnel of the DGCA and its air safety directorate would
also carry out or order breath-analyser checks on any crew, the sources said. Even when blood alcohol levels are zero, there could be some effects of hangover, mainly caused by congeners.