Air India will immediately test every pilot for banned substances, extending checks beyond the existing requirement to test at least 10% of pilots at random. The move follows a serious altitude-loss incident on a Phuket-to-Delhi flight and is intended to strengthen safety standards and reassure passengers and other stakeholders.

Seventeen passengers and crew were injured when the Airbus descended about 91 metres (300 feet) shortly after taking off on 4 August. A preliminary report said the senior pilot needed to retake a substance test, with reports alleging a positive marijuana result; both pilots have been removed from duty while Indian authorities, Airbus and France’s air-safety agency investigate. Air India is already facing close scrutiny following the June 2025 Ahmedabad-to-London crash, which killed 260 people.