New Delhi, Jan. 3 (TNS): India’s private airline Jet Airways on Wednesday grounded two of its senior commanders for fighting inside the cockpit of a London-Mumbai flight on January 1. The commander flying as co-pilot allegedly slapped the lady commander mid-flight after which she left the cockpit in tears.
After great persuation, the lady pilot went back to the cockpit but reportedly came out in a huff shortly afterwards. This time, a frightened cabin crew, fearing for everyone’s safety, requested her to go back to the controls and operate the flight to its destination. Luckily, the plane landed safely.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has suspended the licence of the male co-pilot and ordered a probe into the entire episode.
This unprecedented cockpit fight happened on 9W 119 soon after Jet’s Boeing 777 took off for its 9-hour journey to Mumbai with 324 passengers and 14 crew members on board on New Year’s Day at 10am (UK time).
Both the pilots of this flight were commanders and the lady was captaining 9W 119 while the other was the co-pilot for this sector.
“Shortly after the plane took off, the two pilots had a fight. The co-pilot slapped the lady commander and she left the cockpit in tears. She stood in the galley sobbing.
The cabin crew tried to comfort her and send her back to the cockpit, but in vain. The co-pilot also kept buzzing (calling from the intercom in the cockpit) the crew, asking them to send the second pilot back,” said sources.
