Pilots abandon cockpit after fight on flight, both grounded
Saurabh.Sinha@timesgroup.com
New Delhi: Jet Airways has grounded two of its senior pilots for fighting inside the cockpit of a London-Mumbai flight of January 1. The commander allegedly slapped the lady co-pilot mid-flight after which she left the cockpit in tears.
After persuasion, she went back to the cockpit after sometime, but reportedly came out again in a huff. This time, frightened cabin crew—fearing for everyone’s safety—requested her to go back to the controls and operate the flight to its destination. Luckily, the plane landed safely. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has suspended the co-pilot’s flying licence and ordered a probe into the episode. The unprecedented cockpit scuffle happened on 9W 119 soon after Jet’s Boeing 777 took off on its 9-hour journey to Mumbai with 324 passengers and 14 crew members at 10am (UK time) on New Year’s day.
Terming it a “serious issue”, DGCA chief B S Bhullar told TOI, “We have ordered a probe and have suspended the privileges of copilot’s licence pending the probe.”
Captain slapped co-pilot leaving her in tears
“Some time after the plane took off, the two pilots, who are known to be very good friends, had a fight. The captain slapped the co-pilot and she left the cockpit in tears. She stood in the galley sobbing. The cabin crew tried to comfort her and send her back to the cockpit, in vain. The captain also kept buzzing (calling from the intercom in the cockpit) the crew, asking them to send the second pilot back,” sources said. When the cabin crew could not do so, the commander reportedly came out of the cockpit —leaving it unmanned in gross violation of safety rules — and persuaded the co-pilot to return with him to the controls.
“At that time, there was no one in the cockpit, while rules say at all times two crew members must be there,” sources said. If one pilot goes out to go to the lavatory or for some other reason, a flight attendant has to be present. That’s because someone should be able to open the cockpit door for the second pilot on return if the sole pilot inside gets incapacitated.
“Soon after the co-pilot returned to the cockpit, the two again had a fight and the co-pilot came out again. This time, the cabin crew was quite afraid of the fight happening in the cockpit as they feared for everyone’s safety. They requested her to go to the cockpit and fly the plane safely to its destination,” said sources.
Realising the fear among the crew, the co-pilot returned to the cockpit and the plane landed safely in Mumbai just after midnight of January 1-2.
Confirming the fight, a Jet Airways spokesman said, “A misunderstanding occurred between the cockpit crew of Jet Airways flight 9W 119, London-Mumbai, of January 1, 2018. However, the same was quickly resolved amicably and the flight with 324 guests, including two infants and 14 crew members, continued its journey to Mumbai, landing safely. “The airline has reported the matter to the DGCA and the concerned crew members have been taken off flying duties pending investigation that has since been initiated. At Jet Airways, safety of guests, crew and assets is of paramount importance and the airline has zero tolerance for any action of its employees that compromises safety.” Terming it a “serious issue”, DGCA chief B S Bhullar told TOI, “We have ordered an investigation and have suspended the privileges of the copilot’s licence pending the probe.”
The captain of 9W 119 is Jet’s senior-most commander of B-777 and an examiner. The second pilot is also a commander. “Jet had terminated the services of this captain in 2009 for forming a pilots’ union.
Following that action, the airline’s pilots had gone on a strike and the airline had to recall its decision. The captain still heads the airline’s pilots union,” said a source.
Saurabh.Sinha@timesgroup.com
New Delhi: Jet Airways has grounded two of its senior pilots for fighting inside the cockpit of a London-Mumbai flight of January 1. The commander allegedly slapped the lady co-pilot mid-flight after which she left the cockpit in tears.
After persuasion, she went back to the cockpit after sometime, but reportedly came out again in a huff. This time, frightened cabin crew—fearing for everyone’s safety—requested her to go back to the controls and operate the flight to its destination. Luckily, the plane landed safely. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has suspended the co-pilot’s flying licence and ordered a probe into the episode. The unprecedented cockpit scuffle happened on 9W 119 soon after Jet’s Boeing 777 took off on its 9-hour journey to Mumbai with 324 passengers and 14 crew members at 10am (UK time) on New Year’s day.
Terming it a “serious issue”, DGCA chief B S Bhullar told TOI, “We have ordered a probe and have suspended the privileges of copilot’s licence pending the probe.”
Captain slapped co-pilot leaving her in tears
“Some time after the plane took off, the two pilots, who are known to be very good friends, had a fight. The captain slapped the co-pilot and she left the cockpit in tears. She stood in the galley sobbing. The cabin crew tried to comfort her and send her back to the cockpit, in vain. The captain also kept buzzing (calling from the intercom in the cockpit) the crew, asking them to send the second pilot back,” sources said. When the cabin crew could not do so, the commander reportedly came out of the cockpit —leaving it unmanned in gross violation of safety rules — and persuaded the co-pilot to return with him to the controls.
“At that time, there was no one in the cockpit, while rules say at all times two crew members must be there,” sources said. If one pilot goes out to go to the lavatory or for some other reason, a flight attendant has to be present. That’s because someone should be able to open the cockpit door for the second pilot on return if the sole pilot inside gets incapacitated.
“Soon after the co-pilot returned to the cockpit, the two again had a fight and the co-pilot came out again. This time, the cabin crew was quite afraid of the fight happening in the cockpit as they feared for everyone’s safety. They requested her to go to the cockpit and fly the plane safely to its destination,” said sources.
Realising the fear among the crew, the co-pilot returned to the cockpit and the plane landed safely in Mumbai just after midnight of January 1-2.
Confirming the fight, a Jet Airways spokesman said, “A misunderstanding occurred between the cockpit crew of Jet Airways flight 9W 119, London-Mumbai, of January 1, 2018. However, the same was quickly resolved amicably and the flight with 324 guests, including two infants and 14 crew members, continued its journey to Mumbai, landing safely. “The airline has reported the matter to the DGCA and the concerned crew members have been taken off flying duties pending investigation that has since been initiated. At Jet Airways, safety of guests, crew and assets is of paramount importance and the airline has zero tolerance for any action of its employees that compromises safety.” Terming it a “serious issue”, DGCA chief B S Bhullar told TOI, “We have ordered an investigation and have suspended the privileges of the copilot’s licence pending the probe.”
The captain of 9W 119 is Jet’s senior-most commander of B-777 and an examiner. The second pilot is also a commander. “Jet had terminated the services of this captain in 2009 for forming a pilots’ union.
Following that action, the airline’s pilots had gone on a strike and the airline had to recall its decision. The captain still heads the airline’s pilots union,” said a source.
No comments:
Post a Comment