Question : ALCOHOL TEST FOR CREW

(a) whether it is mandatory under the safety rules framed by the Director General Civil Aviation that alcohol test of the operating crew of Indian Airlines should be conducted before taking off on domestic and international flights;

(b) if so, whether liquor is served in the flights of the Indian Airlines in violation of the safety rules;

(c) the names of various places abroad where alcohol test of the crew members is conducted before operating international flights by Indian Airlines alongwith the timings at which this test is conducted;

(d) the full details of the alcohol test conducted at various foreign stations during the last six months alongwith the method used;

(e) whether such tests are not being regularly conducted abraod; and

(f) if so, the reasons for risking safety and life of thousands of Indian Airlines passengers?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION ( SHRI SHRIPAD YESSO NAIK )

(a): All air crew are subjected to pre-flight medical examination before undertaking a flight. This practice is in vogue on the basis of the recommendations of the Court of Enquiry, which enquired into a HS748 crash at Delhi in 1973. Since then, the air crew are subjected to a pre-flight medical examination on all domestic flights by Indian Airlines.

(b): Indian Airlines serves liquor only to the passengers on board its flights on some select international sectors, where similar service is offered by other Airlines.

(c),(d),(e) and (f): As per the guidelines issued by Director General of Civil Aviation, 4 random pre-flight medical examinations are to be carried out at foreign stations in a month. No pre-flight medical examination at foreign stations could be carried out during the last 6 months as the modalities of conducting pre-flight medical examination on the pattern followed by Air India was being studied. Indian Airlines has since studied this option and will soon resume conducting the pre-flight medical examination at foreign stations on the pattern followed by Air India.