- Air India removed and suspended a first officer after a positive preliminary breathalyser test at Zurich Airport.
- The result came before flight AI151 to Delhi, which did not operate as scheduled.
- The airline awaits Zurich’s final medical report before deciding what disciplinary action to take.
Air India suspended a first officer after a preliminary breathalyser test came back positive at Zurich Airport on September 6, 2026, shortly before he was due to fly flight AI151 to Delhi. Check-in staff noticed that he smelled of alcohol and alerted airport authorities. The result exceeded the permitted limit.
The flight did not operate as scheduled. Swiss aviation officials said the airline and India’s regulator were notified after the incident.
The pilot was taken off operating duties after the preliminary result. The final medical examination report remains outstanding, and the airline has not yet decided on disciplinary action.
The incident unfolded during pre-flight checks. The pilot was later sent to India as a passenger.
An airline source said staff had raised their concern before airport authorities tested him:
“The check-in staff of our airline noted that he smelt of alcohol and felt it could be beyond permissible limits.”
The first officer remains suspended while Zurich’s report is pending
The airline said the employee remains suspended while it awaits Zurich authorities’ report and the completion of the investigation. Officials said any appropriate disciplinary action will depend on the findings.
The preliminary test and the pending report represent separate stages in the case. The test prompted his removal from duty; the final medical examination report is still awaited before the airline determines what action to take.
An airline source described the suspension as continuing until the Zurich report arrives:
“The suspension will be in effect until the report is submitted to us by the Zurich authorities. Depending on the content of the report, we will decide on the action to be taken in future.”
The company also confirmed that the first officer had been repatriated to India as a passenger. His suspension remains in force during the investigation.
Swiss aviation officials notified India’s regulator
The Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation said it informed India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation about the case. The Swiss office described the measures taken as consistent with applicable national and international regulations.
A spokesperson said the Swiss agency had notified both the airline and the Indian regulator. The spokesperson also linked the incident to the disruption to the Zurich-Delhi service:
“The operator and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India (DGCA) have been informed accordingly. As a result, flight AI151 from Zurich to Delhi could not be operated as scheduled.”
The Swiss office said India’s regulator would handle further action as the competent authority for the state of the operator. The case is proceeding under Swiss and Indian aviation procedures.
That division places the continuing regulatory process with India’s DGCA, while the airline awaits the medical report from Zurich authorities. The Swiss spokesperson said the necessary steps had been taken under the applicable rules.
The airline reiterated its rule against reporting under the influence
After the incident, the airline circulated a communication to pilots restating its zero-tolerance policy on reporting for duty under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The reminder was directed to its pilot group as the investigation continued.
The incident was described as the second recent case involving an Air India pilot violating drug-and-alcohol rules. The disclosures about the Zurich case appeared on September 25, 2026, nineteen days after the flight disruption.
The first officer’s status remains tied to the outstanding report and investigation. The airline said it will decide on future action after reviewing the Zurich authorities’ findings.
