Indian regulator suspends more than 20 pilots this month
More than 20 pilots have been temporarily suspended by India’s aviation regulator DGCA so far in July.
The suspensions range from three to six months for a variety of offences, a senior official said.
The spike in suspensions is partly down to five planes overshooting or skidding off runways during heavy monsoons over a three-day period earlier this month.
"This month, we have seen a series of incidents one after another in quick succession, leading to the grounding of these pilots. We have already temporarily grounded more than 20 pilots of domestic airlines so far, pending investigation," the official said.
It led to the DGCA issuing new air safety guidelines for airlines operating in monsoon conditions.
These incidents are being probed by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau while the DGCA is investigating other unrelated issues which landed pilots in trouble.
This included a ‘tipsy’ off-duty pilot who was unable to access the cockpit due to a failed breath test.
The pilot was prescribed as an additional crew member and was scheduled to be accommodated in the cockpit.
The DGCA has now changed rules forbidding all non-active flight personnel from the cockpit.
Another was suspended for a ‘physical altercation’ with a cabin crew member and three were grounded after planes they were piloting entered Pakistan airspace when it was still closed.
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