The reason behind the potential ban isn’t because perfume could put off pilots or even cause headaches but because the alcohol content in many fragrances could trigger a false-positive breathalyzer test result.
It would be difficult to find an airline that didn’t consider a pilot flying while drunk a fireable offense. But a newly proposed regulation in India could also take action against pilots who use perfume.
India’s Office of the Director General of Civil Aviation
(DGCA), which oversees the country’s aviation industry, recently proposed an
update to its bylaws regarding alcohol consumption.
There is already reference to things other than alcoholic
drinks that could cause a positive breath test, namely mouthwash, in the
guidelines. However, a new section – bolded here – specifically mentions
perfume.
It reads: “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 into positive breath analyzer
test.”
The text continues: “Any crew member who is undergoing such
medication shall consult the company doctor before undertaking flying
assignment.”
While perfumes can contain trace amounts of alcohol, it’s
unclear if wearing perfume on one’s body can trigger a false positive breath
test.
The official air safety requirements for the DGCA were
ratified in August 2015. The proposed addition is up for public comment through
October 5.
Pilot drunkenness has occasionally been an issue in the
aviation industry.
In 2018, Katsutoshi Jitsukawa, a pilot for Japan Airlines,
was sentenced to 10 months in prison after a breath test taken shortly after
takeoff showed that his blood alcohol level was nine times the legal limit.
And in the US, a Delta pilot named Gabriel Lyle Schroeder
was escorted off a fully boarded plane pre-takeoff when he was suspected of
being under the influence of alcohol.
“Delta’s alcohol policy is among the strictest in the
industry and we have no tolerance for violation,” an airline representative
told CNN at the time.