Air India Pilot Fails Alcohol Test in Zurich, Removed From Zurich-Delhi Flight

Air India is once again facing questions over cockpit discipline after a First Officer scheduled to operate a Zurich-Delhi flight was removed from duty after failing a preliminary alcohol breathalyser test — just weeks after another Air India pilot was dismissed following a positive test for a psychoactive substance.

The latest incident occurred on September 6, when the First Officer was preparing to operate Air India flight AI151 from Zurich to Delhi. Airline personnel reportedly detected the smell of alcohol and alerted Zurich airport authorities. A preliminary breathalyser test subsequently returned positive, with officials saying the reading was beyond the permissible limit.

The pilot was immediately taken off flying duties, referred for further medical evaluation and subsequently sent back to India as a passenger. He remains suspended pending the final medical report and completion of the investigation. The flight could not operate as scheduled and flew the following day with an alternative crew.

The important point is that the Zurich case is still under investigation. The preliminary breathalyser result has been reported, but the final medical findings will determine the regulatory and disciplinary outcome.

But Zurich Is Not an Isolated Case

The latest incident comes barely weeks after the much more serious August 4 Phuket-Delhi episode, involving Air India flight AI2379.

The Airbus A320neo, carrying 145 people, suffered a sudden loss of altitude of nearly 300 feet while cruising at 36,000 feet. The incident resulted in injuries to 24 people. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s preliminary report recorded that the aircraft experienced a near-simultaneous loss of all three hydraulic systems, followed by an autopilot disconnect, a brief stall warning and an altitude upset.

What made the case particularly serious was the subsequent drug-testing result involving the pilot-in-command. The pilot’s confirmatory test was positive for marijuana, according to reports citing the AAIB findings. Air India terminated his employment on September 4.

The AAIB preliminary report described the drug-use finding as a serious concern and recommended action by the DGCA.

And There Was an Earlier Alcohol Case

There is another incident that should not be overlooked.

In December 2025, an Air India pilot was removed from duty at Vancouver International Airport before operating a flight after Canadian authorities conducted two breathalyser tests that reportedly confirmed the presence of alcohol and found the pilot unfit for duty.

Transport Canada subsequently asked Air India to investigate the matter. Air India said the pilot had been taken off flying duties and that any confirmed violation would attract disciplinary action.

That means the Zurich episode is not the first reported case of an Air India cockpit crew member being stopped over suspected alcohol impairment at an overseas airport.

Three Incidents, One Uncomfortable Question

The sequence is difficult to ignore:

• December 2025: Air India pilot removed from duty at Vancouver after two alcohol breathalyser tests reportedly found him unfit to fly.
• August 4, 2026: Air India Phuket-Delhi flight suffers a major altitude upset; the pilot-in-command subsequently tests positive for marijuana and is later dismissed.
• September 6, 2026: Air India First Officer scheduled for Zurich-Delhi is removed after a preliminary alcohol test reportedly returns positive.

Air India has responded by reiterating its zero-tolerance policy, strengthening psychoactive-substance testing, reinforcing reporting requirements and increasing monitoring of cockpit crew. The airline has also said confirmed violations can attract disciplinary action ranging from suspension to termination.

But the obvious question for an airline carrying thousands of passengers every day is not simply whether violators are caught after a red flag appears.

It is whether the system is strong enough to ensure that no pilot reporting for duty under the influence gets anywhere near an aircraft in the first place.

In the Zurich case, the airline’s own airport personnel reportedly detected the smell of alcohol and alerted authorities before the pilot could operate the flight. That intervention prevented him from taking charge of AI151.

That is a positive safety intervention — but it also underlines the zero-margin-for-error nature of cockpit operations.

Air India Says Zero Tolerance. The Real Test Is Prevention

Air India has now reinforced its message to pilots that reporting for duty under the influence of alcohol or prohibited substances will not be tolerated.

The airline has also expanded mandatory testing, awareness programmes and compliance monitoring.

Yet with alcohol and psychoactive-substance cases involving cockpit crew appearing repeatedly across a relatively short period, the focus is inevitably shifting from individual disciplinary action to the robustness of the airline’s overall safety culture.

For an airline operating long-haul international flights, cockpit impairment is not a personnel issue alone. It is a fundamental aviation-safety issue.

And that makes the Zurich incident far more than another disciplinary case.

It is another warning signal for Air India.