New Delhi | August 12, 2026
The Air India pilot-in-command of a Phuket–Delhi flight that suddenly lost around 300 feet of altitude, injuring 24 people, has tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory drug test, according to multiple reports. The development has raised a crucial question: Will the captain lose his pilot licence?
The answer, under current Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) rules, is not necessarily.
What happened on the Phuket–Delhi flight?
Air India flight AI-2379, an Airbus A320neo carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members, was flying from Phuket to Delhi on August 4 when it suddenly lost approximately 300 feet of altitude.
The aircraft subsequently stabilised and landed safely in Delhi. At least 20 passengers and four crew members were injured during the incident.
Following the incident, both pilots underwent mandatory screening for psychoactive substances. The captain’s initial test reportedly returned a non-negative result for marijuana, requiring laboratory confirmation. Both pilots were removed from flying duties while the investigation continues.
The subsequent confirmatory test has reportedly also returned positive for marijuana.
Does a positive marijuana test automatically cancel a pilot’s licence?
No.
This is one of the most important aspects of the case.
Under the DGCA’s Civil Aviation Requirements governing psychoactive-substance testing, a first confirmed positive test does not automatically result in cancellation or suspension of a pilot’s licence.
If it is established as the pilot’s first positive test, the rules provide for referral to a de-addiction/rehabilitation programme. The pilot cannot simply return to flying immediately. He must complete the required rehabilitation process, undergo another urine test and obtain the necessary medical fitness clearance before returning to safety-sensitive duties.
What happens if the pilot tests positive again?
The consequences become considerably more serious for repeat violations.
According to the DGCA framework:
1.First confirmed positive: Rehabilitation/de-addiction programme and subsequent medical clearance.
2.Second positive after rehabilitation: The pilot’s licence can be suspended for three years.
3.Third positive: The pilot’s licence can be cancelled.
Therefore, a positive marijuana test by itself does not automatically mean that the Phuket–Delhi captain will permanently lose his licence.
But this case could be more serious
The licence question is only one part of the investigation.
The captain was operating the aircraft when the sudden altitude loss occurred, and 24 people were injured. India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is investigating the incident, including flight data, aircraft systems, operational records and medical information. Airbus and France’s BEA are also assisting the investigation.
Reports also indicate that the captain had been experiencing sleep difficulties and was taking prescribed medication. He has reportedly said that he had difficulty sleeping during the Phuket layover.
The investigation will therefore have to determine whether the pilot’s medical condition, medication, alleged substance use or any other operational factor had a connection with the altitude-loss incident.
Air India’s internal action could be stricter
Even if DGCA rules do not automatically require licence cancellation for a first positive drug test, Air India may take separate disciplinary action under its own employment and safety policies.
Business Standard reported that Air India’s internal rules may be stricter than the minimum DGCA licensing requirements. The seriousness of the incident, including the injuries and the circumstances surrounding the flight, could influence the airline’s disciplinary decision.
Both pilots have currently been kept off the roster pending the investigation.
The bigger aviation-safety question
The case has renewed attention on India’s system for detecting psychoactive-substance use among flight crew.
DGCA regulations require aviation personnel to undergo testing, with samples divided into separate portions so that an initial non-negative result can undergo confirmatory laboratory testing. A person with a non-negative initial result is removed from safety-sensitive duties until the confirmation process is completed.
The incident also highlights an important distinction between detecting a substance in a biological sample and establishing that a pilot was impaired at the exact time of operating the aircraft. That determination will depend on the medical evidence, laboratory findings and the wider safety investigation.
What happens next?
The captain is unlikely to simply return to the cockpit while the investigation remains unresolved.
Authorities and Air India are expected to examine:
The confirmatory drug-test results.
The pilot’s medical history and prescribed medication.
His duty and rest schedule.
Flight-data recorder and cockpit information.
The circumstances surrounding the sudden 300-foot altitude loss.
Whether any violation of aviation safety regulations occurred.
Whether the incident was connected to pilot impairment or another technical/operational factor.
Bottom line
A positive marijuana test does not automatically mean the Air India captain will lose his pilot licence permanently. If this is treated as a first confirmed drug violation under DGCA rules, rehabilitation and medical clearance are the prescribed route rather than automatic licence cancellation.
However, the pilot’s future could depend on the findings of the ongoing investigation and Air India’s own disciplinary proceedings. If regulators establish additional violations or a repeat offence, the consequences could become substantially more severe.
For now, the captain remains off flying duties while the investigations continue.
Sources: Associated Press, Business Standard, NDTV and DGCA regulatory documents.
This article is based on information available as of August 12, 2026. Allegations and investigation findings should not be treated as a final determination of individual culpability until authorities complete their proceedings.
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