Jet pilot ‘slaps’ woman colleague, grounded

Mumbai, January 3

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Jet Airways has grounded two of its senior pilots following a mid-air brawl on a London-Mumbai flight on January 1, in which the male commander allegedly slapped his female counterpart.

The incident took place on Monday when the aircraft was in the Iran-Pakistan airspace, and 2.45 hours from its destination, an airline source said today.

A Jet Airways spokesperson said there was a “misunderstanding” between the cockpit crew and the same was “resolved amicably” and “quickly”. 

“A misunderstanding occurred between the cockpit crew of 9W119 London-Mumbai flight on January 1. However, the same was quickly resolved amicably and the flight with 324 guests, including two infants, and 14 crew completed its journey in Mumbai safely,” the airline spokesperson said.

The source, however, said the two senior pilots had been flying together for many years and had had arguments in the past. On Monday’s flight, arguments turned violent and the male pilot slapped her, after which she came out of the cabin crying, the source alleged.

“The cabin crew persuaded her to go back to the cockpit but she refused. Following this, the male pilot came out of the cockpit, leaving the operations to the care of a cabin crew (which is a violation of flight safety norms) and persuaded her to return to the cockpit,” the source said.

Jet Airways reported the matter to the Director General of Civil Aviation and the pilots were taken off duties. — PTI