National Carrier, Air India has sacked senior pilot and Director of Operations, Captain Arvind Kathpalia, who was found heavily drunk during a mandatory breathalyzer test before he was to fly a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, from New Delhi and London.  

On Monday, a day after he failed the test, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had suspended the flying licence he was removed from the post of Director of Operations by the national carrier.

The incident happened on Sunday when Captain Kathpalia was tested positive with an unacceptably high blood alcohol count.

"The privileges of his licence have been suspended for a period of three years from 11.11.2018 as per the provisions of applicable regulations,” a DGCA spokesperson said in a statement.

The Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association had also demanded immediate termination of Kathpalia from the national carrier’s board calling him a “repeat offender” who endangers passengers’ lives.

Additionally, Kathpalia faces a three-year ban from operating commercial jetliners in accordance with DGCA directives.

Incidentally, this is the second time the senior pilot has failed a breathalyzer test. In January 2017, he was grounded for three months after he had skipped the mandatory test. 

Share This Post