Airlines
Air India pilot let woman friend into cockpit on flight, complains crew
According to a complaint lodged to the regulator by a member of the cabin crew and examined by HT, an Air India pilot who was flying from Dubai to Delhi on February 27 entertained a female friend in the cockpit, breaking safety regulations.
The complaint claims that the issue existed even prior to onboard AI 915. The pilot requested information from the crew to see if there were vacant seats in business class so that he could accommodate his friend, but the crew informed him that there were none. The pilot then let his friend inside the cockpit after calling for her.
According to the crew member who filed the complaint, the pilot’s attitude completely altered following the friend’s arrival and he got quite agitated and rude. It was also claimed that the pilot treated her like a Servant.
A member of the aircraft operator who has the pilot-in-command’s authority may only enter the cockpit if they have completed the required Breath Analyzer tests, under the DGCA’s Civil Aviation Regulation (CAR).
In response to a request for security, a DGCA official said, “The regulator is looking at the technical and safety aspects involved in the matter.”
