SpiceJet pilot tests positive for COVID-19

DGCA suspends breathalyser checks as pilots’ body raises fears of infection spread

30/03/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW
DELHI/CHENNAI

The airline has asked all staff who came into contact with the pilot to undertake self-quarantine for 14 days.V. V. Krishnan V. V. Krishnan

After a SpiceJet pilot tested positive for COVID-19, the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Sunday issued an order waiving the mandatory breathalyser test for aviation personnel to ensure that the use of the testing device does not cause the infection to spread.

According to SpiceJet, a junior pilot went under self-quarantine after his last flight on March 21 from Chennai to Delhi and tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday. The airline has now asked all staff who came into contact with the pilot to undertake self-quarantine for 14 days. The airline also said the pilot did not operate any international flight in March.

Following the SpiceJet announcement, a letter from the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) to the DGCA said “continuing BA Tests in these circumstances is extremely dangerous” as the machine for the test remains the same and droplets or aerosols of infected pilots may infect the healthy. Saturday’s letter is the second from the ICPA, which had made a similar request on March 20.

The DGCA in its order temporarily suspending the requirement of pilots, cabin crew, Air Traffic Controllers and other personnel from undergoing the test for alcohol consumption, said all such personnel will have to give an undertaking that they have not consumed alcohol in the 12 hours before duty time.

In operation

While all commercial flights, domestic and international, are grounded until April 14 following a nationwide lockdown, several flights ferrying evacuees from different parts of the world as well as medical supplies are in operation.

SpiceJet said the pilot had been admitted to a hospital in New Delhi. “All measures are being taken to provide appropriate medical care to him. As a precautionary measure, all crew and staff, who had been in direct contact with him, have been asked to self-quarantine by staying at home for the next 14 days,” an airline statement said.

“Safety of our passengers and employees is our topmost priority. We have been diligently following the guidelines issued by the WHO and the Government of India. All our aircraft are being disinfected thoroughly since the end of January and the disinfectants used are as per the WHO standards,” a Spicejet spokesperson said.