Saturday, January 24, 2015

Tougher DGCA rules on alcohol test, 12 Air India crew grounded

Mumbai Mirror: Mumbai: Saturday, 24 January 2015.
Twelve crew members of an Air India flight from London to Mumbai have been sent on compulsory leave for 15 days as punishment for not undergoing post-flight alcohol check implemented by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) recently.
As required under tougher rules for alcohol tests with effect from July 2014, the 12 crew members, including six air hostesses, failed to report for the post-flight breath analyser checks on their return to Mumbai from London last month. Not reporting for tests as per the modified rules is considered as being alcohol-positive.
Following a probe, DGCA concluded that the cabin crew had violated the rules laid down for breath analyser tests. In a letter issued by Maneesh Kumar, Director (air safety), DGCA, to Air India's chief of flight safety, the aviation regulator ordered the airline to keep the twelve cabin crew grounded.
The DGCA circular on post-flight alcohol checks states that the test should preferably be done inside the aircraft as soon as it arrives at the destination. But the crew have been found to just walk away, mostly citing 'end of duty time'as a reason. "Pilots and cabin crew have raised the issue of flight duty time limitation rule because the circular says the time taken for the test shall not be counted as part of the duty," a senior DGCA official said.
"It also says crew members should not consume drugs or formulation or use any substance like mouthwash or tooth gel with alcoholic content. They should consult airline doctors before going on a flight if they are under medication," an All India Cabin Crew Association (AICCA) member said.
According to an Right to Information (RTI) enquiry filed by a serving Jet Airways pilot, between January 2009 and February 2014, 165 pilots in the country were found to have high blood alcohol levels.
"It is important to take post-flight breath analyser test because a pilot will be considered as having tested positive on skipping the test. It will not be possible to explain the test was missed inadvertently," the Jet Airways pilot said. He added that the airline was currently hiring additional doctors to carryout the checks.
AICCA, however, has raised a flag over the duration of suspension. "The civil aviation requirments issued by DGCA, mandates suspension of the crew failing the breath analyser test for the first time for three months and five years for a second offence. When this is the rule, how were these 12 crew members grounded only for 15 days," a AICCA members asked.
DGCA chief, M Satyavathy did not respond to queries on the reduced period of grounding. DGCA officials, however, confirmed that a dozen other cases are simultaneously being investigated.