jimmygill
24th Jul 2010, 11:36
AI pilots grounded for being too loud - Mumbai Mirror (http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/2/2010072420100724021427735edee749/AI-pilots-grounded-for-being-too-loud.html)
While pilots being de-rostered for errors in the cockpit is not unheard of, three Air-India commanders have been taken to task for allegedly being too noisy while travelling first-class on a Frankfurt-Mumbai flight. One of them, Capt Kshmata Bajpai, has been temporarily barred from flying.
Her colleagues, Capt Suraj Prakash and a co-pilot, have been let off with a warning after being de-rostered for a few days.
Sources in Air India say the reason for such swift action was that a complaint against the trio was made by their co-passenger Jaan Albrecht, the CEO of Star Alliance, an international group of airlines of which Air-India is trying to become a part.
Bajpai and Prakash were seated in the first class section of AI 126 in April, and the first-officer, who was travelling business class, would come and sit on a hollow bin in the aisle when he joined them for meals. “They were loud and noisy. There was disregard for decorum as they ate and drank alcohol,” a source said that Albrecht, who was sitting next to them, wrote in his complaint given to the airline’s Managing Director Arvind Jadhav.
“He said that they were laughing loudly and also passing comments against AI management and civil aviation minister Praful Patel,” the source added. The pilots had no idea who their travelling companion was, and learnt his identity only after landing.
Two cabin crew, who were on duly in first-class, allegedly did not ask the pilots to refrain from being loud for the sake of the other passengers. “Crew travelling in first class is not supposed to behave in this fashion. The behaviour of the pilots was unbecoming. Air India aspires to join the Star Alliance by end of this year and this incident has given a bad impression about the airline. An inquiry has been initiated,” another top airline source said.
The commander of the flight, K Tarapore, was asked for a detailed explanation. The two members of the cabin crew were sent to corrective training and taken off duty for about a fortnight.
While senior Air-India pilots conceded that the behaviour of the three pilots wasn’t acceptable, they said that too much fuss had been made over the incident. “They were discussing the goings-on in the airline. Can’t they express an opinion? Is this Emergency, that they can’t express views?’’ a senior commander asked.
Captain Bajpai has given an apology letter, however, an enquiry is being reopened against her.
While pilots being de-rostered for errors in the cockpit is not unheard of, three Air-India commanders have been taken to task for allegedly being too noisy while travelling first-class on a Frankfurt-Mumbai flight. One of them, Capt Kshmata Bajpai, has been temporarily barred from flying.
Her colleagues, Capt Suraj Prakash and a co-pilot, have been let off with a warning after being de-rostered for a few days.
Sources in Air India say the reason for such swift action was that a complaint against the trio was made by their co-passenger Jaan Albrecht, the CEO of Star Alliance, an international group of airlines of which Air-India is trying to become a part.
Bajpai and Prakash were seated in the first class section of AI 126 in April, and the first-officer, who was travelling business class, would come and sit on a hollow bin in the aisle when he joined them for meals. “They were loud and noisy. There was disregard for decorum as they ate and drank alcohol,” a source said that Albrecht, who was sitting next to them, wrote in his complaint given to the airline’s Managing Director Arvind Jadhav.
“He said that they were laughing loudly and also passing comments against AI management and civil aviation minister Praful Patel,” the source added. The pilots had no idea who their travelling companion was, and learnt his identity only after landing.
Two cabin crew, who were on duly in first-class, allegedly did not ask the pilots to refrain from being loud for the sake of the other passengers. “Crew travelling in first class is not supposed to behave in this fashion. The behaviour of the pilots was unbecoming. Air India aspires to join the Star Alliance by end of this year and this incident has given a bad impression about the airline. An inquiry has been initiated,” another top airline source said.
The commander of the flight, K Tarapore, was asked for a detailed explanation. The two members of the cabin crew were sent to corrective training and taken off duty for about a fortnight.
While senior Air-India pilots conceded that the behaviour of the three pilots wasn’t acceptable, they said that too much fuss had been made over the incident. “They were discussing the goings-on in the airline. Can’t they express an opinion? Is this Emergency, that they can’t express views?’’ a senior commander asked.
Captain Bajpai has given an apology letter, however, an enquiry is being reopened against her.