Air India pilot ‘turns flight cockpit into a living room’ for friend, crew complains

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), on Friday (April 21, 2023), stated that it has launched an inquiry into civil aviation norms violation case involving Air India. The incident happened on February 27 when an Air India flight pilot invited his female friend to join him in the cockpit. The flight had taken off from Dubai and landed in India.

The DGCA informed today that it has already started investigating the matter as this is a serious case of violating safety norms.

Why did Air India pilot let friend in the cockpit?

As per reports, the pilot’s friend boarded the flight from Dubai as one of the passengers. Post this, according to the complaint, the concerned pilot asked the crew to inform him if there was any vacant seat in business class as his friend wanted to upgrade her ticket from economy to business class. The crew informed him that there was no such seat vacant. Post this, the pilot reportedly asked one of the crew members (the complainant) to get his woman friend to the cockpit and bring some pillows for her ease. Then the friend sat on the observer seat.

The pilot reportedly asked the crew member to prepare the cockpit to be welcoming enough and to bring to drinks and snacks for her. According to media reports, the complainant also alleged that the pilot asked her to serve alcoholic beverages inside the cockpit to which she refused. As per the complainant, the friend spent over an hour in the cockpit.

What are other complaints against the Air India pilot?

The crew member (complainant), in her allegation, stated that while the woman friend of the pilot was inside, the entire crew was asked to serve her in the cockpit many times. This also interrupted the flow of service to other passengers. The women friend also was heard speaking to the caption and the pilot. The complainant alleged that the while the first officer was sleeping, the concerned pilot was also facing the passenger and talking to her.

The cabin crew member who has filed the complained, also alleged that the pilot displayed anguish behaviour during the return flight.

What is DGCA doing?

The DGCA, reportedly, has summoned the cabin crew member on Friday. As per DGCA regulation authority, an employee of the aircraft operator is only allowed entry to the cockpit when he/ she has fulfilled some conditions – having permission of the pilot-in-command and going through the mandatory breath analyser tests – being of most significance.

Meanwhile, the DGCA is looking into all the possible technical and safety aspects of the episode.

Why has Air India been in news lately?

1. On March 27, 2023, it was reported by the media that Nepal’s aviation authority has banned Air India pilots of a flight from flying in Nepal as they brought down their plane to 15,000 feet from 19,000 feet suddenly, without the permission of the ATC (Air Traffic Controller) and just about avoided a mid-air collision with Nepal Airlines flight.
2. On April 10, 2023, an Air India passenger charged towards the aircraft door and tried to open it mid-flight. When the cabin crew members tried to stop him, he hit one of them on the neck and pulled her hair and went on to punch the other member on her face. After the incident, the caption returned the flight to Delhi.
3. On March 12, 2023, an Air India flight made an emergency landing at Jaipur airport after one of its engines failed mid-air. The flight had 179 passengers on board.