The consultant in aviation medicine has recommended that DGCA make mandatory drug tests of cabin crew before flying, appoint paramedical staff for airline cabin crew, and outsource them.
The consultant in aviation medicine has recommended that DGCA make mandatory drug tests of cabin crew before flying, appoint paramedical staff for airline cabin crew, and outsource them.
Dr Surendar Sodhi, who worked as chief medical staff for Etihad Airways and DGCA and the Indian Air Force and now resides in Powai, sent these recommendations to DGCA.
The recommendations state that in other countries, airlines conduct random alcohol checks on cabin crew while in India, it is not necessary to conduct alcohol tests every time before flying.
Overseas, breath tests are conducted with special meters, printouts are necessary and there is a provision of two tests with a gap of 20 minutes while in India, cabin crew is put through only one test and blood test which is very time consuming.
Dr Sodhi has also stated that in India, aviation medical staff is employed by the airline and chances are they might be working under pressure from senior officials of the airline and allow a cabin crew under the influence of alcohol. Hence, paramedical staff must be outsourced.
Unlike in America, in India, there is no provision to check consumption of drugs by cabin crew.
Flying crew under the influence of drugs is a big threat to the flight and passengers, so if seniors notice any kind of change in the behaviour of junior flying staff, they should red flag it and each airline and operators should have their own employee assistance programme.
With growing alcohol and drug abuse in India, experts say there should be a proper, well-equipped checking of crew to confirm if they have consumed drugs.
A private operator who did not wish to be named praised the recommendations and said that many times, oil companies have asked them to conduct drug tests of pilots and co-pilots before flying because of the fear that unstable crew can cause accidents.
