Canada asks Air India to probe case of pilot removed from plane under influence of alcohol: Source
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The incident was labelled as a “serious matter” by Transport Canada in a letter to Air India.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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NEW DELHI - Canada’s transport regulator has asked Air India to investigate an incident of a pilot who was removed from a plane before it was due to take off and found to be under the influence of alcohol, a person familiar with the matter said.
Two breathalyser tests conducted by Canadian police at Vancouver International Airport showed the pilot was unfit for duty, the person said on Jan 2.
The incident was labelled as a “serious matter” by Transport Canada in a letter to Air India, and the authorities are likely to pursue enforcement action, the person added.
The person requested anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media. Transport Canada did not respond to an e-mailed request for comment outside regular working hours.
In a statement, Air India confirmed that the flight from Vancouver to Delhi on Dec 23 experienced a last-minute delay due to the incident, adding that an alternate pilot was brought in to operate the flight. The airline said the Canadian authorities raised concerns about the pilot’s fitness for duty but did not provide details.
“The pilot has been taken off flying duties during the process of inquiry. Air India maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards any violation of applicable rules and regulations,” Air India said.
“Pending the outcome of the investigation, any confirmed violation will attract strict disciplinary action in line with company policy.”
The aircraft was a Boeing 777, a model that can seat up to 344 passengers, according to the websites of Flightradar24 and Air India.
In the letter from Transport Canada official Ajit Oommen, Air India was asked to provide its findings and details of steps taken to prevent future occurrences by Jan 26, the person familiar with the matter said.
Air India has been under intense scrutiny since the crash of a Boeing Dreamliner on June 12, 2025, which killed 260 people. India’s aviation regulator has flagged multiple safety lapses at the airline, which was previously owned by the government until 2022.
Pilots at Air India, owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, have also come under scrutiny. This week, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) sent warning notices to four Air India pilots, flagging “serious safety concerns” related to regulatory compliance and flight crew decision-making.
The DGCA said the pilots accepted an aircraft for operation in 2025 despite prior knowledge of “repeated snags” and “existing systems degradations”, according to warning notices dated Dec 29 seen by Reuters. The aircraft is a Boeing 787 used for long-haul flights, according to Flightradar24.
Earlier in 2025, the DGCA had proposed tightened rules on alcohol testing for crew, including one that would have a pilot lose his licence permanently after testing positive for alcohol in three tests.
Current rules require post-flight breathalyser examinations for each trip to be carried out at the first port of landing in India.
Canadian rules state that a pilot cannot operate an aircraft within 12 hours of consuming an alcoholic beverage. REUTERS
