An Air India pilot was removed from duty at Zurich Airport on September 6 after ground-handling staff reportedly detected the smell of alcohol before the scheduled departure of flight AI 151 from Zurich to Delhi.

According to reports, authorities conducted sobriety tests on the pilot, which indicated that his blood alcohol level was above the permissible limit for flight crew. The pilot was consequently removed from the aircraft before take-off, and the flight could not operate as scheduled.

The incident was subsequently taken up by Swiss aviation authorities. Switzerland's Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) confirmed that action had been taken against the pilot under Swiss regulations and that the matter had been communicated to India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

The DGCA has scrutinised the case and asked Air India to strengthen its safeguards to prevent violations of alcohol-related safety regulations.

Air India maintains a strict policy on pilot fitness. The airline states that pilots undergo mandatory pre-flight alcohol screening in accordance with DGCA regulations, with a zero-tolerance approach toward alcohol-related violations.

The Zurich incident has also brought renewed attention to safety and compliance procedures for Indian airline crews operating international flights. Further regulatory action in the case will be determined by the DGCA.