New Delhi: An Air India pilot scheduled to operate a Vancouver-Delhi flight via Vienna on December 23 found himself at the centre of a serious controversy after Canadian authorities raised concerns over his fitness to fly, leading to his removal from duty just before departure.

The incident unfolded at Vancouver airport when a duty-free staff member alerted authorities after either noticing the pilot sipping wine being offered at the store or detecting the smell of alcohol while he was purchasing a bottle. The matter was escalated to Canadian officials, who conducted a breath analyser test. The pilot reportedly failed the test and was subsequently detained for further inquiry.

Air India quickly arranged for a replacement pilot, ensuring that passengers were not stranded for long. The Boeing 777 flight, which requires four pilots due to its ultra-long-haul nature, departed around two hours behind schedule. It later landed in Vienna, where another set of crew took over the flight to Delhi.

The sources familiar to the sources said the airline has taken a stern view of the incident. The pilot was flown back to Delhi a couple of days later and has been taken off flying duties while an internal probe is underway. The case has also been reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) which is examining the circumstances independently.

In a statement, Air India confirmed that flight AI 186 experienced a last-minute delay after one cockpit crew member was offloaded following concerns raised by local authorities about the pilot’s fitness for duty. The airline said it fully cooperated with Canadian officials and followed all safety protocols by rostering an alternate pilot.

“Air India maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards any violation of applicable rules and regulations. Safety remains our highest priority,” the airline said, adding that strict disciplinary action would follow if any wrongdoing is confirmed.

Why incident has rattled pilot community

Typically, pilots operating international flights are not subjected to pre-flight breath analyser tests as alcohol is available on board and checks are conducted upon arrival. However, Air India has voluntarily introduced random pre-flight tests at overseas stations often deploying doctors to conduct checks before return flights to India.

Pilots say the incident has sparked concern within the community as even products like perfumes, mouthwash or certain medicines can sometimes trigger breath analyser readings. Failing such a test three times can result in loss of a flying licence, making compliance a matter of utmost caution for crew members.