On Air India PIlot Takes Break Turns Over Controls to The Flight Attendant
ON Air India flight AI 133 from Bangkok-Delhi flight, First Officer Ravindra Nath and Captain B K Soni decided to take a break from the cockpit. They asked the stewardesses, J Bhatt and Kanika Kala the wheel. At 33,000 feet and with 160 passengers on board, the captain took “a few minutes” to teach the stewardesses how to operate the plane. Then he left and one of the stewardesses turned off the auto-pilot.
Says a source at Air India:
“According to the guidelines it is a standard procedure to ensure the presence of second person in the cockpit so that if the pilot is not able to operate the aircraft for some reason, the other crew member in the cockpit can immediately call for the other pilot. But what actually happened after this made a mockery of air safety. A senior cabin crew member witnessed the entire drama unfold and brought the matter to the notice of the airline’s management. All four were derostered and later suspended for this violation.”
Director General Arun Mishra of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) adds:
Anorak”Following a safety violation, the airline has already suspended the people in question. We are conducting a inquiry into the matter.”
Forget it. The stewardess will do fine. It’s easy. Doris Day can do it:
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