'He Seemed Intoxicated': Passenger On Air India Phuket-Delhi Flight Says Pilot's 'Gait Didn't Look Right'

Published 10 August 2026 · local

News india 'He Seemed Intoxicated': Passenger On Air India Phuket-Delhi Flight Says Pilot's 'Gait Didn't Look Right' 'He Seemed Intoxicated': Passenger On Air India Phuket-Delhi

News india 'He Seemed Intoxicated': Passenger On Air India Phuket-Delhi Flight Says Pilot's 'Gait Didn't Look Right' 'He Seemed Intoxicated': Passenger On Air India Phuket-Delhi Flight Says Pilot's 'Gait Didn't Look Right' Published By, Last Updated: August 10, 2026, 07:00 IST One of the passengers on the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight says the pilot’s gait and demeanour raised suspicions after the aircraft lost around 300 feet. An Air India Phuket-Delhi flight lost around 300 feet of altitude during cruise on August 4. (Video screengrabs) A passenger aboard the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight that suddenly lost around 300 feet of altitude during cruise has claimed that the pilot’s demeanour after the incident raised suspicions among passengers. Identified as Shrikant Jha, the passenger said the pilot’s appearance, gait and manner of speaking made him feel that something was not right. “We actually had strong suspicions about this because of the pilot’s demeanour and appearance," Jha said. ALSO READ | Air India Turbulence: Both Flight Crew Members Taken Off Roster, Confirmatory Test Report Awaited According to the passenger, the suspicion arose after the aircraft encountered severe turbulence during the flight from Phuket to Delhi on August 4. He claimed that the pilot did not appear normal when he spoke after the incident. “His gait didn’t look right, and the way he spoke after the turbulence made it seem like he was intoxicated," Jha said. His comments come after the Civil Aviation Ministry said that the pilot-in-command underwent confirmatory testing after an initial psychoactive substance screening indicated that the result required further analysis.

The final report was awaited. What Passenger Said About Air India Pilot’s Behaviour The passenger alleged that others on the flight had concerns about the pilot even before the results of the post-flight testing became known. He questioned how a pilot could allegedly operate an aircraft while intoxicated and said the matter pointed to a larger failure in the aviation system. “It is highly irresponsible. This is a systemic failure. A pilot felt emboldened enough to fly while intoxicated, knowing he could potentially slip through the airport unnoticed," he said. ALSO READ | ‘Next To Impossible For Pilot To Drop Plane 300 Feet’: Experts On Air India Phuket-Delhi Turbulence Jha further claimed that the pilot may have believed he could escape detection. “He knew he could get away with it here," Jha said. According to the passenger, he and others subsequently lodged a complaint with Ravishankar Gaur, the head of Terminal 3, urging authorities to conduct dope and blood tests. However, the Civil Aviation Ministry has said the pilot’s confirmatory testing is still underway, and the final report was awaited. The ministry said further action would depend on the investigation findings and confirmatory test results. What Happened On Air India Phuket-Delhi Flight Air India flight AI2379, an Airbus A320 operating from Phuket to Delhi on August 4, experienced a sudden loss of altitude of approximately 300 feet during cruise before stabilising and landing safely in Delhi. The aircraft was carrying 137 passengers, including three infants, and eight crew members comprising two pilots and six cabin crew.