Licence suspension to sacking: Air India captains face DGCA heat

NEW DELHI: An Air India (AI) pilot could lose his job for trying to fly in the cockpit of a full flight, not as crew member but as a traveller, in a tipsy condition. While, another AI pilot had his flying license suspended for six months for reportedly asking his flight purser to rinse his tiffin and then getting into a fight with him onboard the aircraft when the latter refused to do so.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday issued these twin orders.The regulator has also barred airline officials like pilots and aircraft engineers from traveling in cockpit when on leave or when not been rostered to operate that particular flight, with immediate effect. “This practice is in violation (of rules) and also provides cover to officials while on leave/off duty and detected BA positive (having traces of alcohol in breath). (Operations manual allowing this) is void ab-inito and stands repudiated with immediate effect,” the order said.
TOI had reported both these stories.

The tiffin fight happened on June 17, 2019, when the pilot was having meal in the cockpit of an Airbus A319, which is perfectly okay, before operating flight AI 772 from Bengaluru to Kolkata. He then, reportedly asked the purser to rinse his lunch box, which was not okay. The two got into a fight when the purser refused to rinse the pilot's tiffin saying that it was not his job.

“Investigation report reveals pilot-in-command and cabin crew onboard the aircraft were involved in heated argument and thereafter physical altercation when aircraft was on ground during pre-departure phase and preparation for departure was in progress,” the DGCA order suspending the captain’s licence for six months from the date of fight is learnt to say.
The second episode happened last Saturday (July 13) when a senior A320 pilot who retired from AI and is now serving there on contract wanted to travel from Delhi to Bengaluru on AI 502. The flight was full and the tipsy pilot opted to go as additional crew member (ACM) where he would be seated in the cockpit behind operating crew seats. However, since he was headed to the cockpit, this pilot had to undergo a mandatory pre-flight breath analyser (BA) and he failed that test. Consequently, he was not allowed to board the plane and AI grounded him.

“The captain had earlier tested BA positive (found tipsy) on October 21, 2015, at Goa (in pre-flight test)… though in the instant matter he was not designated as crew, he should have maintained highest standards… his misconduct reflects he has not learnt from his previous violation and has not reformed himself even though his licence was suspended for three months for the first violation. Such casual approach is unbecoming of an aviation professional and is a threat to safety in aviation,” the DGCA order said.
“In view of his unsafe conduct, AI shall initiate appropriate administrative action against him including that of termination from service for violation of provisions of company operations manual,” the order added.