Unveiling India's Bold Move: Airlines May Soon Ban Pilots and Flight Attendants From Wearing Perfume
India's proposed measures to ensure sobriety among pilots extend beyond alcohol control, potentially encompassing regulations on the use of perfume to enhance aviation safety
Finding an airline that doesn't deem a pilot flying under the influence of alcohol as a reason for termination would be challenging. However, a fresh regulation being suggested in India could extend disciplinary measures to include pilots who wear perfume. The Office of the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India, responsible for supervising the country's aviation sector, has recently recommended revisions to its bylaws concerning alcohol consumption.
The guidelines already mention substances other than alcoholic drinks, such as mouthwash, that could lead to a positive breath test. However, a new section has been added to specifically highlight the inclusion of perfume.
The new section states: "Crew members are prohibited from consuming any drug or using any substance, such as mouthwash, tooth gel, perfume, or any product containing alcohol. This can potentially result in a positive breath analyzer test."
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The text continues: "Crew members who are taking such medication must consult the company doctor before accepting any flying assignments."
Although perfumes may contain small amounts of alcohol, it is not certain whether wearing perfume can result in a false positive breath test.
The DGCA's air safety requirements were officially ratified in August 2015. The proposed addition is currently open for public comment until October 5.
The problem of pilot drunkenness has sporadically arisen in the aviation sector.
In 2018, Katsutoshi Jitsukawa, an employee of Japan Airlines who worked as a pilot, received a 10-month prison sentence after a breath test conducted shortly after takeoff revealed that his blood alcohol level was nine times higher than the legal limit.
Similarly, in the United States, a Delta pilot called Gabriel Lyle Schroeder was escorted off a plane that had already been fully boarded before takeoff due to suspicions of being under the influence of alcohol.
"Deltas alcohol policy is among the strictest in the industry and we have no tolerance for violation," an airline representative told CNN at the time.
