Facility to Air India Pilots to Travel as Additional Cerw Member During Time off/ Leave Withdrawn

The Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Ajit Singh has directed Air India to withdraw with immediate effect the facility available to pilots to travel as an additional crew member during time off/ leave. Henceforth no such facility to pilots to travel as an additional crew member in Air India shall be available during time off/leave.
The issue came to the notice of the Minister following a complaint received by him about Captain S.P.S. Suri who was given authorization by Air India to fly on Delhi-Dubai Sector as additional crew member of the Air India flight AI 995/ AI 996 earlier this month despite having been grounded. Captain Suri had been grounded last month pending investigation into the incident of turbulence faced by Air India A330 aircraft operating from Delhi to Shanghai on 5th July 2012 which left three people injured. The aircraft was under the command of Captain Suri. The DGCA has also been asked to inquire into this matter and submit a report to the Minister.
This has also been brought to the notice of the Minister that the facility available to pilots to travel as additional crew member is being misused by the pilots to travel free of cost during time off/ leave. A large number of such travels have been authorized in the past by the General Managers.
As additional crew member, a pilot despite being on time off/ leave enjoyed all facilities of a pilot on duty as regards to check-in and other things.
14/08/12 Press Information Bureau

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Categories: Air India Aug 2012