Wahab had entered cockpit: Cabin crew

New Delhi: Initial investigations into the controversy generated by an erstwhile Indian Airlines pilot's decision to ground an MP, P V Abdul Wahab, for coming late to the aircraft at Kozhikode on April 7 appear to be in favour of the pilot.
Denying reports that the pilot has been blamed for keeping the cockpit door opened, highly placed sources in the aviation ministry said that the probe being conducted by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has not found any fault on that count.
"A pilot is not supposed to lock himself in the cockpit when the plane is still being prepared for a flight on the tarmac. So there's no question of any report blaming Captain Rajat Rana (the pilot) for this," said a senior official.
In fact, some cabin crew members have reportedly told the probe team that during the heated exchange of words between the pilot and MP, the latter had followed Captain Rana towards the cockpit.
Sources in the merged Air India-Indian Airlines entity, National Aviation Company of India Ltd (NACIL), also said that their probe has not found any fault with the pilot. "
NACIL wants this controversy to die down quietly. The new company is finding itself sandwiched between the ICPA on one side and the MP on the other.
25/04/08 Times of India

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Categories: Air India Domestic Apr 2008, Airports Apr 2008, NACIL Apr 2008