Air India Flight Lost Key Controls; Airline Mandates Pilot Drug Tests

A report indicates that Air India's Phuket-Delhi flight lost control of key surfaces for four seconds.

An Airbus analysis shows the Air India A320 briefly lost key flight controls. Air India began mandatory drug screening for all its pilots on Thursday, August 13, 2026. This initiative expands beyond existing regulatory requirements. The airline stated the move aims to uphold safety standards and reassure passengers and stakeholders. The decision follows an August 4 incident involving an Air India Airbus A320neo flying from Phuket to Delhi.

The aircraft suddenly lost about 300 feet (91 meters) of altitude during cruise. Twenty passengers and four cabin crew members were injured in the incident. The flight, AI2379, carried 137 passengers, including three infants, and eight crew members. The aircraft later stabilized and landed safely in Delhi. The pilot-in-command of the August 4 flight tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory drug test, according to a source familiar with the matter and the Civil Aviation Ministry.

Both pilots were removed from the flying roster pending investigation and testing. The mandatory substance testing applies to all Air India pilots and pilots at its budget subsidiary, Air India Express. Tests will screen for substances and medications prohibited under aviation regulations. They will be conducted alongside training sessions at the Gurugram academy, after flights at briefing centers and offices, or at designated locations.

Existing rules require airlines to randomly test at least 10% of their flight crew for psychoactive substances each year. Aviation secretary Samir Sinha asked Air India to take responsibility and ensure safety. The government also asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to review India's dope-testing framework. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is investigating the August 4 incident.

Airbus and France's civil aviation safety agency, the BEA, support the inquiry. A purported post-flight maintenance report for flight AI2379 flagged several technical warnings involving the aircraft.