DGCA conducts surprise alcohol tests on airside staff at Mumbai airport

Aviation safety regulator DGCA last week conducted surprise alcohol tests on some of the personnel as part of its recently introduced breath analyser (BA) test norms for airside staff, MIAL said on Friday.

From last month, the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) has made the alcohol testing mandatory for all airside workers as well. Earlier only pilots and cabin crew were subjected to BA test.

"Without prior notice, DGCA randomly selected on- ground staff for the alcohol test on November 15. It was conducted on 17 personnel and all of them were tested negative," Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) said in a release.

The BA examination has been put in place for ATCs, CNS personnel, aircraft maintenance, aerodrome operation people, fire and rescue personnel, and vehicle drivers, including those of catering and refuelling vehicles.

Besides, it is applicable for ground equipment operators, ground handling personnel and flight dispachers.

At present, the breath analyser test for these personnel is carried out at Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Cochin, Lucknow and Guwahati airports.

"The negative result shows the airports commitment towards passenger safety measures in compliance with DGCAs directive," MIAL said in the release.

During similar exercises across airports last month, 18 people, including staff from airlines, were tested positive for an alcohol test.

Under the regulations, any person if found positive in the BA test would be suspended for three months.

As per the regulator's estimate, the test would be applicable for around 30,000 employees largely working on the airside of the airports. Out of these people, 10 per cent would be randomly checked for alcohol test every day.

The DGCA aims to implement breath analyser examination at all the licensed airports by December 31.