Air India’s Bangkok-bound flight forced to return after co-pilot misses breath analyser test

[webfact]

Air India’s Bangkok-bound flight forced to return after co-pilot misses breath analyser test

Several aggrieved passengers on the Bangkok-bound flight took to Twitter to complain about the plane being stranded at the airport for more than four hours.

By: Express Web Desk | New Delhi

 

Hours after Air India grounded a senior pilot for twice failing the pre-flight breath analyser test on Sunday, a Bangkok-bound flight belonging to the international carrier was forced to return to Delhi around 36 minutes after takeoff as the co-pilot allegedly missed his breath analyser test.

 

According to news agency ANI, a co-pilot on Air India 332 Delhi-Bangkok flight missed the test. The flight path of AIC332/AI332, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking data company, showed the plane taking off from the Indira GandhiInternational Airport in Delhi before making several sharp manoeuvres to return to the airport.

 

Several aggrieved passengers on the Bangkok-bound flight took to Twitter to complain about the plane purportedly being stranded at the airport for more than four hours. There is no official reaction from the airline so far about the incident.

 

full story: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/air-india-bangkok-delhi-flight-forced-to-return-after-co-pilot-misses-breath-analyser-test-5441510/

 

-- Indian Express 2018-11-12

 

[bluesofa]

19 minutes ago, webfact said:

a Bangkok-bound flight belonging to the international carrier was forced to return to Delhi around 36 minutes after takeoff as the co-pilot allegedly missed his breath analyser test.

Am I missing the obvious here? How did the flight even manage to take off, if one of the crew failed to perform a breath test?

 

[edwinchester]

2 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Am I missing the obvious here? How did the flight even manage to take off, if one of the crew failed to perform a breath test?

 

I think these are 2 separate incidents, a few hours apart, the 1st involving a senior pilot who failed an alcohol test and the second involving a co pilot, on a different flight, who missed his test.

[bluesofa]

7 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

I think these are 2 separate incidents, a few hours apart, the 1st involving a senior pilot who failed an alcohol test and the second involving a co pilot, on a different flight, who missed his test.

I realised that. It was only the second incident I was referring to.

Perhaps it's because I don't know how the alcohol testing system for pilots works, that made me ask the question.

It seems it must be possible for pilots to avoid undertaking the test and still board the plane?

[natway09]

Most airlines it is not mandatory at all times but random tests are now part of the system

[l4ml4m]

Does it mean that they cannot pilot drunk or high ?

So boring !!!

 

 

[Peterw42]

Probably that random breath check above Sri Lanka, They have been there a lot lately.

[scorecard]

9 hours ago, bluesofa said:

I realised that. It was only the second incident I was referring to.

Perhaps it's because I don't know how the alcohol testing system for pilots works, that made me ask the question.

It seems it must be possible for pilots to avoid undertaking the test and still board the plane?

Agree very confusing.

 

Another explanation, perhaps he took the breath test but the result wasn't available until after the flight took off? Surely not true?

 

Who knows?

[Russell17au]

The passengers complained that they were stranded at the airport for more than 4 hours. I have been both alcohol and drug tested before I was allowed to start work and it does not take 4 hours and it only takes 5 minutes, but if something registers then it is a longer process.

[Russell17au]

2 hours ago, scorecard said:

Agree very confusing.

 

Another explanation, perhaps he took the breath test but the result wasn't available until after the flight took off? Surely not true?

 

Who knows?

Both the breath test and the drug tongue swipe will give an indication within 5 minutes. The initial test is the same as what they police roadside tests are. If they show positive then a further test is involved. But from memory ALL aircrew must have a zero reading on the initial test or they are grounded.

[Katia]

6 hours ago, natway09 said:

Most airlines it is not mandatory at all times but random tests are now part of the system

During the flight??

 

(Or, my best guess is that someone else on the crew noticed he was acting... not so sober... and forced the test?  But why did no one notice leading up to takeoff?)

 

 

54 minutes ago, Russell17au said:

The passengers complained that they were stranded at the airport for more than 4 hours. I have been both alcohol and drug tested before I was allowed to start work and it does not take 4 hours and it only takes 5 minutes, but if something registers then it is a longer process.

I assume the 4 hours was the time it took them to find another pilot and get them there?

[observer90210]

Air India...Thai...both government funded,  employing just a horde of rude, overpaid and spoilt brats....must be at least 20 years since I realised that and never since flew with one of these clown airliners....

[JulesMad]

18 hours ago, Russell17au said:

The passengers complained that they were stranded at the airport for more than 4 hours. I have been both alcohol and drug tested before I was allowed to start work and it does not take 4 hours and it only takes 5 minutes, but if something registers then it is a longer process.

Some people can complain about anything... Now they can vent their useless frustration in all kinds of media. A president of a once great nation uses it all the time, so it must be cool...

[Tailwagsdog]

2 hours ago, JulesMad said:

Some people can complain about anything... Now they can vent their useless frustration in all kinds of media. A president of a once great nation uses it all the time, so it must be cool...

Make Thailand Great Again!