Air India has taken its operations department head, Captain A Kathpalia, off flying duty for skipping the mandatory pre-flight test. Captain Kathpalia was de-rostered from flying duties on Wednesday night. He was taken off flying duty after the Indian Commercial Pilots Association, a body of Indian pilots, sent a letter to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) without indicating the name of the pilot, following which the airline’s Chief of Safety was asked to inquire and report to the DGCA.
“The Director-Operations of Air India has been off-rostered based on a preliminary report of the airline. They have been asked to expedite submission of the final report, along with evidences, to the DGCA,” a senior DGCA official said.
Earlier, a spokesperson for the airline told newspersons that “in compliance with the DGCA orders, Captain Kathpalia will not be assigned any flight to operate anymore.”
Rule 24 of Aircraft Rules prohibits crew members from taking any alcoholic drink 12 hours prior to the commencement of a flight, and it is mandatory for them to undergo an alcohol test both before and after operating a flight.
Any crew member who tests positive in the pre-flight medical check or refuses to take a breath-analyser test is required to be taken off flying duty for at least four weeks and the airline is required to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the crew member.