Air India Express Takes Strict Action Against Crew
In a strict enforcement of aviation safety norms, Air India Express has suspended eight of its crew members for a period of three months. The suspended staff includes four pilots and four cabin crew members. The incident dates back to August 2, 2026, when an Air India Express flight from Dubai landed at the Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport in Amritsar.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) regulations, Indian airline crew operating international flights must undergo a mandatory post-flight breath analyzer test within two hours of landing in India. However, the crew members of this particular flight failed to adhere to the strict timeline.
The 35-Minute Delay That Led to Suspension
Flight AX-192 landed at the Amritsar airport at 9:50 AM. As per reports, after the flight landed, one of the crew members fell slightly ill. Following this, the crew completed the post-arrival formalities and headed to their designated hotel before returning to the airport for the test.
By the time they reached the testing facility, 2 hours and 35 minutes had elapsed since touchdown, exceeding the two-hour limit by 35 minutes. Although all crew members subsequently underwent the test and their reports came back negative, the delay constituted a clear violation of the regulatory timeline.
Zero Tolerance for Safety Violations
Air India Express proactively reported the incident to the DGCA. Upholding strict internal safety and compliance policies, the airline immediately removed all eight crew members from active roster duties and handed them a three-month suspension.
"Adherence to safety protocols and time-bound regulatory procedures is non-negotiable in the aviation sector. Any deviation is dealt with strictly to ensure absolute passenger safety." — Aviation Industry Expert
While the identities of the suspended crew members have not been publicly disclosed, this strong disciplinary action serves as a stern reminder to all airline personnel regarding the absolute importance of compliance in aviation operations.
