Cockpit not left unmanned during pilot-crew scuffle: Air India
By IANSMonday, October 5, 2009
NEW DELHI - Air India Monday said the cockpit of its Sharjah-Lucknow-Delhi flight IC-884 was not left unmanned during a mid-air scuffle that broke out between the pilots and cabin crew Saturday.
“The committee constituted by the Air India management to inquire into the incident has concluded decisively that the cockpit was not left unmanned at any point of time during the flight phase,” the airline said in a statement.
“The enquiry committee came to this conclusion after examining various witnesses including members of the flight crew,” it added.
Air India grounded two pilots and two cabin crew who were involved in the mid-air scuffle, while the Delhi Police registered a case of molestation against the pilots on a complaint of an air hostess.
The incident comes close on the heels of an Air India pilots’ strike that grounded the fleet of 155 planes for five days and caused immense inconvenience to passengers.
