Shubhadeep Choudhury
New Delhi, May 12
The DGCA today imposed a fine of Rs 30 lakh on Air India and suspended the pilot’s licence for three months for unauthorised entry of a woman passenger into the cockpit during a flight.
In a communique, the DGCA said Air India had been fined Rs 30 lakh for failing to promptly and effectively address “the safety sensitive issue”.
Feb 27 incident
- The incident took place on February 27 onboard Air India’s Delhi-Dubai flight
- The captain invited a woman passenger, a member of AI staff, to the cockpit
- The captain had asked for drinks and snacks to be served to the woman
The licence of the pilot in command has been suspended for three months for the misuse of his authority, the communique stated.
Air India has been directed to take administrative action against the intruder (who happens to be a member of the company’s staff) and remove her for a specified period from any managerial position that she may be holding. The DGCA also pulled up the co-pilot for “not being assertive in preventing the violation”.
Air India, while accepting the DGCA ruling, said it was not true that the airline was reluctant to take any action.
“We acknowledge and accept the DGCA’s ruling. However, we reject the assertion that no action was taken by Air India in response to the complaint. There were a number of allegations which needed to be worked through with due process and confidentiality, and which commenced immediately upon the complaint being lodged,” a spokesperson for the airline said.
The incident took place on February 27 in the Air India flight AI-915 (Delhi-Dubai). The captain of the flight had invited a woman passenger to the cockpit. The captain, according to the complaint, had asked for drinks and snacks to be served to the woman while she was in the cockpit.
