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Transport Canada warns Air India on drinking rules after pilot’s Vancouver arrest

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — An Air India pilot was arrested at Vancouver International Airport last week as he was preparing for a flight, with Canada’s transportation agency warning the airline that it faced loss of its flight authorizations if it did not comply with rules about alcohol consumption.

Transport Canada said in a statement Friday that the incident took place on Dec. 23, and it would engage with Air India and Indian aviation authorities to ensure “appropriate followup actions” were taken.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the arrest occurred after a “report of concern” involving an airline crew member.

Police said an investigation is ongoing and no further information would be released.

A spokeswoman for the airport said the pilot had been preparing for Air India’s scheduled daily flight from Vancouver to Delhi, which was delayed for several hours but later departed safely.

Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 shows that the Dec. 23 Air India flight from Vancouver to Delhi via Vienna was scheduled to depart at 3 p.m. but did not leave YVR until 10:02 p.m.

Air India did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Transport Canada said in its statement that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India had primary responsibility for regulatory oversight of Air India.

The statement said Canadian aviation regulations prohibited pilots or any other crew members from acting within 12 hours of drinking alcohol or while under its influence.

It said airlines could not assign crew who were unfit for duty.

“Non-compliance with these regulations may result in the suspension or cancellation of a Canadian Aviation Document under the Aeronautics Act,” it said.

Airlines could also face judicial and other penalties, the statement said.

Beijing bans 4 New Zealand lawmakers from entering China because they visited Taiwan

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Beijing banned four New Zealand lawmakers from traveling to China for a year and demanded they apologize because they visited Taiwan on a parliamentary trip, according to a message from the Chinese embassy conveyed via parliamentary officials and shown to The Associated Press on Thursday. China has hit lawmakers from other countries with sanctions related to contact with Taiwan before, but it's the first time for New Zealand parliamentarians, the government in Wellington said. Beijing has been increasing pressure in recent years on the democratically governed island that it claims as its own territory. Two lawmakers reached by the AP on Thursday rejected the demand for an apology, while the other two could not be immediately reached. New Zealand's government said it would express concern about the travel bans to Beijing. The elected officials visited Taipei in May, as New Zealand parliamentarians have done “for decades,” a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement.
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