5 Air India pilots and two staffers from engineering service test +ve for Covid-19

MUMBAI: Five Air India pilots and two employees of the carrier's engineering services subsidiary have tested positive for Covid-19, airline sources said. AI's cargo flights continue to be operated to international destinations during the lockdown. The pilots had apparently operated flights from Delhi to Guangzhou on April 18 to pick up medical supplies. "But since it's over 20 days now, they might have been exposed to the virus sometime after they landed back home. Also, their samples were collected one after the other and there is a possibility that it's a false positive. They will be re-tested," said an Air India official.

Under government norms for repatriation flights, only crew who test negative for Covid-19, with samples given within five days of the date of departure, can be rostered for Vande Bharat Mission flights. The said pilots, who were asymptomatic, were asked to test in order to be rostered for repatriation flights. An Air India spokesperson did not comment.

A few days earlier, a technician and a tow-tug operator/driver working with Air India Engineering Services Ltd ( AIESL) in Mumbai also tested positive for Covid-19, a source said. "The news has been received with some anxiety by AI pilots as under the current repatriation schedule, pilots have layovers in places like New York and London, where the number of Covid cases are high," said a source.

For repatriation flights, AI crew undergo a swab test for Covid-19 before and after they operate the flight. After the flight, crew proceed to a hotel where they wait for test results, which takes 24-48 hours. If they test negative, the airline car drops them to their residence. Five days after arrival, crew take another Covid-19 test. If this test too returns negative and the crew member concerned doesn't show any symptoms of the virus, only then can the person be rostered for further flying duties.