Air India co-pilot suspended after failing alcohol test in Zurich

An Air India co-pilot has been suspended after failing a breathalyzer test at Zurich Airport prior to flight AI 151, scheduled to fly from Zurich to Delhi on September 6. Ground handling staff reported smelling alcohol on the officer, leading to a preliminary positive test result.

The pilot was removed from the aircraft before takeoff and subsequently repatriated to India as a passenger. The Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) confirmed that necessary measures were taken under national and international regulations and that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India has been notified. The flight was delayed and operated the following day.

This incident follows a separate safety concern in August involving an Air India pilot who reportedly tested positive for marijuana during a Phuket-Delhi flight, an event that resulted in a sudden loss of altitude and several injuries. Air India has reiterated its zero-tolerance policy regarding the consumption of alcohol or psychoactive substances by flight crew.