Willie Walsh
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
IndiGo tests 20 per cent of its pilots for substance abuse annually which is higher than Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) prescribed limit, chief executive officer Willie Walsh said on Thursday.
DGCA requires airlines to randomly test at least ten per cent of their pilots annually
Responding to shareholder questions at the company annual general meeting, Walsh said the airline has a comprehensive fitness for duty framework covering alcohol, substance abuse, fatigue and mental well being.
“Substance testing is done at induction. We’ve been doing this since 2015. So all new employees are subject to substance testing at induction and then randomly thereafter. We exceed the recommended levels of testing where we routinely achieve about 20 per cent of random testing,” Walsh said.
Substance abuse by pilots is in focus after an Air India pilot recently tested positive for marijuana consumption. Subsequently Air India is testing all its pilots and DGCA too is working on tighter anti doping rules.
At the AGM IndiGo management also faced questions on steps taken to prevent flight disruption, last financial year loss, long haul network plans among others.
Walsh who took over as CEO earlier this month said the airline has taken remedial measures to ensure disruptions like one witnessed last December do not recur. This includes strengthening of manpower planning and roster process, improved oversight, predictive dashboards and early warning systems enabling rostering staff to take preemptive actions.
Walsh said the airline has established a disruption management group for handling disruptions. “ We have strengthened our SOPs and we have augmented manpower and crew resources in our operations control centre.
“We have enhanced real-time monitoring processes to track forward looking key performance indicators measuring our operational status, crew health and all other operational metrics that can give us an indication of problems occurring,” he said.
IndiGo’s revenue from operations grew 5 per cent to over ₹84,000 crore but the airline swung to ₹2,393 crore net loss in FY 26 due to rupee depreciation. The airline continues to face head winds related to supply chain disruption, increased fuel price and airspace closures. “These realities require us to remain agile, disciplined and resilient. Yet they don’t change our direction,” Walsh said.
Cost control will remain a focus area for IndiGo and the airline will ensure profitable operations on long haul routes with introduction of Airbus A350 aircraft from 2028. “ We continue to invest in hiring, training and capability building to support our growth while maintaining our operational reliability and service standards,“ he said.
Walsh said sustaining customer confidence will remain paramount for the airline. “Our ambition is for IndiGo to be chosen not only for the scale of our network but also the convenience of our services, the reliability we deliver and the consistent high quality experience our customers can expect every time they travel with us,” Walsh said in his address.
Published on August 20, 2026
