On Sunday evening, Air India flight AI 611 was preparing for its scheduled departure from Jaipur towards Delhi when the two pilots broke into an heated argument.
According to reports, the co-pilot assaulted the pilot physically after he was told to take down critical figures to be noted before the take-off. The co-pilot has allegedly misbehaved with other commanders in the past as well.
An Air India spokesperson said “The two had an argument. They have settled the issue”. Both the pilots have been de-rostered (taken off duty) pending further investigation.
A few days ago, an association representing Air India pilots wrote to the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) saying co-pilots were being “forced to work overtime” without adequate remuneration. “Putting these highly-stressed and financially over-burdened co-pilots in the same cockpit… is a perfect recipe for disaster” NDTV quoted the association as saying. The letter also said “At times of equipment malfunction, turbulence or emergency, a pilot must remain calm… How can an Air India pilot perform his duties in such a manner when he is already highly stressed?”
The DGCA has started discussions with the Directorate of Medical Services for regular check-ups of pilots to evaluate their psychological health.
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