Criticising the Air India management for not taking disciplinary action against the pilot and co-pilot of its Delhi-bound flight from Sharjah (IC 884) who allegedly assaulted an air hostess mid-air recently, MP Kirti Azad has sought a judicial probe into the incident.
“The Air India incident is not just about mistreatment and molestation of the air hostess, but also a major lapse as the pilot and co-pilot had left the cockpit unmanned risking the lives of passengers,” Mr. Azad told reporters at a press conference organised by “Karma”, a social and welfare association, here on Wednesday.
The incident took place on October 3 when the pilots allegedly misbehaved with the air hostess inside the cockpit while the Sharjah-Lucknow-Delhi plane was flying over Pakistan. She sustained injuries on the hand when one of the pilots allegedly pushed her.
The two were arrested by the Delhi police on Tuesday and subsequently released on bail.
Mr. Azad alleged that this was not the first instance where the Air India cabin crew had been “physically assaulted” and that no action was taken against the guilty.
The BJP MP said he had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh earlier this week on the “irresponsible and questionable behaviour” of the pilots of IC 884.
“The flight purser was penalised for saving the air hostess. The Air India management must investigate whether or not Commander Ranbir Arora and Captain Aditya Chopra took undue advantage of their command and gambled with the lives of the passengers and crew members,” Mr. Azad asked.
Though the air hostess was not present at the conference, her uncle Sanjay Jain said he had approached “Karma” as he was disappointed with the pilots getting bail and felt that “nothing was being done in the case”.
Karma president Poonam Azad and former cricketer Chetan Sharma were also present at the conference.
