New Delhi: Aviation watchdog DGCA on Friday said 18 people, including staff from airlines, have tested positive for alcohol since introduction of breath analyser examination for such people from October 1.
The breath analyser examination has been put in place for Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs), communications, Navigation and Surveillance (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 dispatchers.
At present, breath analyser test for these personnel is carried out at Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Cochin, Lucknow and Guwahati airports. "In the month of October, we had 14 such cases of BA (Breath Analyser) positive and till date, four such cases during the month of November," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement. Under the regulations, any person who tests positive in the test would be suspended for three months.