‘Drunk’ pilot removed as Air India’s director of operations

MUMBAI: The Union Cabinet’s Appointments Committee has approved the removal of Capt Arvind Kathpalia from the post of director (operations) of Air India.

Kathpalia had failed the mandatory pre-flight breathalyser test an hour before he was to operate AI’s Delhi-London flight 111 on November 11. Two days later, AI decided to remove him from its board of directors. The proposal was sent to the Cabinet for final approval, which came last week. The order issued by the civil aviation ministry on December 12 says “the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the proposal for removal of Capt Arvind Kathpalia from the post of director (operations), Air India, with respect to November 13, 2018”.

The 56-year-old commander had reported for flight duty on November 11 with alcohol in his blood, when India’s safety norms state that “the level of blood alcohol compatible with safe flying is zero”. This is also recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

On November 12, the Indian civil aviation regulator suspended Kathpalia's flying licence for three years. According to DGCA norms, even 12 hours after drinking, when blood alcohol level may show zero, there is decrement in task performance. “Alcohol present in body even in small quantities jeopardises flight safety,’’ the rules say. But reporting for flight duty with alcohol in blood isn’t a criminal offence in India, unlike in countries like the US and UK. In India, licence is suspended for three months for a first-time offender, for three years for a second offence, and the licence is cancelled after the third time.

Kathpalia has earlier too courted controversy over blood-alcohol tests. On January 19, 2017, he operated the Delhi-Bengaluru flight AI-174 without undergoing the mandatory pre-flight breathalyser test. Following an investigation, on February 15, the DGCA had suspended his licence for three months. On March 3, AI removed him as executive director (operations). But three weeks later on March 31, the Cabinet panel approved his appointment as director (operations).