Indian Aviation Watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a show cause notice to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson for the airline’s lapses in reporting the incident.
According to a senior official, the incident involved a pilot allowing a female friend inside the cockpit during a Dubai-Delhi flight on February 27.
DGCA show cause Notice to Air India CEO
DGCA has issued a show cause notice to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson for failing to report an incident in which a pilot allowed a female friend into the cockpit during a Dubai-Delhi flight on February 27.
Additionally, the airline’s Head of Safety, Security, and Quality Functions, Henry Donohoe, has also been issued a show cause notice. Furthermore, DGCA received a complaint from a cabin crew member of the flight regarding the incident.
The Air India CEO and head of flight safety were issued show-cause notices on April 21 for not reporting the incident to DGCA in a timely manner. Which is a violation of the regulator’s safety instructions. According to the senior DGCA official who spoke to PTI on Sunday.
The officials have been given 15 days to respond to the show cause notices. And there has been a delay in the investigation of the incident, as per the senior official at the DGCA. However, Air India has not issued a statement regarding the matter yet.
DGCA Action
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) instructed Air India to take the entire crew of the Dubai-Delhi flight off duty until the investigation was completed earlier this month.
On April 21, the airline stated that it had taken the reported incident seriously and that investigations were ongoing.
It should be noted that unauthorized individuals are not permitted to enter the cockpit, and any such entry could be a violation of regulations.
DGCA has off-rostered the entire crew pending investigation. In addition, the airline management has issued a chargesheet to Capt. Harsh Suri, the pilot-in-command.
What’s the matter?
The official claimed that immediately after departure from Dubai on February 27, the pilot invited his female acquaintance, traveling as a passenger on the same flight, to join him in the cockpit.
Furthermore, the official said the woman stayed there the entire journey, roughly three hours long.
According to the official, the pilot’s actions violated security. Furthermore, it created a distraction that might have threatened the safety of the flight and its passengers
Depending on how the inquiry turns up. The official said the pilot might be subject to disciplinary punishment, such as revoking his license.
It is important to note that as per the DGCA’s civil aviation regulations. No individual may enter the cockpit without undergoing the mandatory breathalyzer (BA) test.
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