India Summons Air India CEO After Pilot Tests Positive for Marijuana

The Ministry of Civil Aviation summoned outgoing Air India CEO Campbell Wilson on August 11, 2026, following a midair incident involving flight AI2379. On August 4, an Airbus A320neo traveling from Phuket, Thailand, to New Delhi experienced a sudden altitude loss of approximately 300 feet while cruising over Odisha, India. The event injured 17 to 24 people, including four crew members and between 13 and 20 passengers, before the aircraft landed safely in Delhi.

Investigations revealed that the flight's captain tested positive for marijuana in both initial and confirmatory psychoactive substance screenings. In response, both pilots involved in the flight have been removed from the flying roster. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation classified the event as a serious incident, prompting a comprehensive probe into technical, medical, and human factors.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is leading the investigation with technical assistance and documentation from Airbus SE and France's Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses pour la sécurité de l’aviation civile. The summons of Campbell Wilson focused on this specific flight as well as broader safety and operational concerns at Air India, which is currently transitioning leadership to new CEO Tewolde Gebremariam. The Ministry of Civil Aviation cautioned that no inference regarding the cause should be drawn while the investigation remains in progress.