Perfume ban on the horizon for India’s flight crew
INDIA, Oct 2, (Agencies): India’s Office of the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is considering a new regulation that could penalize pilots and flight attendants for using perfume, in addition to alcohol consumption. While the existing guidelines already mention substances like mouthwash that could lead to a positive breath test, the proposed update specifically highlights perfume as a potential concern. The revised regulation states, “No crew member shall consume any drug/formulation or use any substance such as mouthwash/tooth gel/perfume or any such product which has alcoholic content. This may result in a positive breath analyzer test.” Crew members undergoing medication that includes such substances are advised to consult the company doctor before taking on any flying assignments.
Although perfumes may contain trace amounts of alcohol, it remains clear whether wearing perfume can trigger a false positive result on a breathalyzer test. The DGCA’s official air safety requirements were established in August 2015, and the proposed addition to the regulations is open for public comments until October 5.
Drunkenness among pilots has been a concern in the aviation industry, with some cases gaining significant attention. For instance, in 2018, a Japan Airlines pilot, Katsutoshi Jitsukawa, received a 10-month prison sentence after a breath test taken shortly after takeoff revealed a blood alcohol level nine times the legal limit. In another incident in the United States, a Delta pilot, Gabriel Lyle Schroeder, was removed from a fully boarded plane before taking off due to suspicions of being under the influence of alcohol.
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