NEW DELHI: A senior commander of SpiceJet was stripped off his flying rights after failing the breath analyzer (BA) test for the third time. The commander used to fly Boeing 737 till the Directorate General of Civil Aviation ( DGCA ) cancelled his license on Friday.

"DGCA has cancelled the Airline Transport Pilot's License ( ATPL is the license given to captains) of the SpiceJet commander who tested positive in BA for the third time. He was a commander on Boeing 737 and his license has now been cancelled," said a senior DGCA official. On July 11, 2017, he failed the BA test for third time after operating SG 114 (Mumbai-Delhi) flight.

Comments from SpiceJet were awaited at the time of filing this story.

A pilot is grounded for three months, three years and forever after failing pre-flight BA test for the first, second and third time, respectively. Those failing the breath analyser tests in post-flight checks get a year added to these groundings.

According to DGCA data, the menace of tipsy pilots seems to be on the rise in India. In 2016, as many as 224 pilots tested positive in their pre-flight BA checks – up 11% from 2015 figure of 202.

The aviation safety regulator in 2016 had for the first time directed registering of first information reports against two pilots and three cabin crew members of commercial airlines who were found tipsy after operating international routes in post-flight BA tests.

All pilots operating domestic flights have to undergo pre-flight alcohol tests to ensure only sober ones get inside cockpits and then safely fly. On international flights, pilots have to undergo post-flight checks as liquor is available on board those flights.

India had, in fact, relaxed norms for tipsy flying by pilots three years back. While a pilot now loses his or her flying licence only when caught flying in an inebriated state for the third time, till mid-2014 this fate would befall on them in the second instance itself.

However, pilots are increasingly questioning the efficiency of machines used currently to do BA tests and allege they end up catching pilots who may have used after shaves, perfumes, cough syrups and homeopathic medicines — which have some alcoholic content.

