I assumed that pilots who were caught drunk on the job — and there have been a few cases of that lately — were sacked and then remained unemployable in that job. But it seems I was wrong.
According to this report, Air India pilots not only get a second chance, they get a third chance — except that after the second offence they have to pay for their own retraining. Now, to me, that’s shocking.
Although the report says that they will be grounded for three years, it still doesn’t make sense.
That is a fair enough punishment for driving a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol — although others may argue that that, too, is lenient — but a pilot is in a very different position than a motorist. He or she is directly responsible for the lives of hundreds of people and a vehicle worth many millions of dollars.
The Times of India notes: “A pilot has to be grounded for three months, three years and permanently on failing his or her pre-flight medial [sic, presumable medical] test (PFMC) for first, second and third time, respectively, according to the rules. Those failing the breath analyser tests in post-flight checks get a year added to these groundings.”
The report says that a Jet Airways pilot was recently sacked for being in “a tipsy condition” but that Air India had different rules.
It quoted an Air India official: “Being a government airline, we can’t take steps that private carriers can take as our action can be challenged in court and over-ruled for not following the rules concerned.”
Is that good enough? Could they not just bear the cost of the legal action in the interests of passenger safety? As a passenger would you be reluctant to fly Air India? I know I would.
