Extra flyers wife and children of AI pilot?

New Delhi: Stung by the DGCA findings that three extra flyers — a woman in the cockpit and two on foldable seats meant for cabin crew — were illegally accommodated on a flight on May 5, Air India swung into damage control mode on Friday, de-rostering five commercial staffers and two pilots on board the Mumbai-Mangalore flight.
The three extra flyers, it is now learnt, could have been the wife and children of a senior AI pilot and probably, were all accommodated in the cockpit.
AI spokesman Jitendra Bhargava said the five commercial staffers were named in the DGCA probe for issuing extra boarding cards. Action would be taken in 48 hours, he said.
Beside these staffers, a ground engineer and a tow tractor driver were de-rostered for the lapse that originally led to the DGCA probe — the Airbus A-321 dented its door as towing started even as the plane was attached to the aerobridge.
AI chairman-cum-managing director Arvind Jadhav has ordered an inquiry into the serious lapse and called for action against those found guilty.
Jadhav also directed that all relevant papers be made available to the DGCA after its probe report complained that the AI commercial staff withheld details on the complete list of passengers due to which the inquiry could not be completed. ‘‘We have always abided by all safety regulations. A one-off incident should not be used to tarnish our excellent record,’’ airline spokesperson Jitendra Bhargava said.
11/07/09 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Categories: Air India Domestic Jul 2009, Airports Jul 2009, NACIL Jul 2009, Safety Jul 2009