Jet Airways Sacks Both Pilots Involved Mid-Air New Year’s Assault

The male commander allegedly slapped his female co-pilot on a London-Mumbai flight on 1 January.

Jet Airways has terminated the services of two senior pilots who were involved in a mid-air brawl while operating the London-Mumbai flight on 1 January, PTI reported.

Consequent to the review of the events on board Flight 9W 119 London-Mumbai of January 1, 2018, Jet Airways has terminated services of both the cockpit crew with immediate effect.

Jet Airways spokesperson said in a statement on 9 January

In a violent incident on New Year’s eve, a captain and his co-pilot got into an argument that turned violent, and left the cockpit while on a mid-air Jet Airways international flight carrying 324 passengers.

The male commander had allegedly slapped his female co-pilot who then rushed out of the cockpit in tears, sources in the airline said.

Aviation regulator DGCA had already suspended the flying licence of the male pilot.

The two senior pilots were earlier grounded by Jet Airways since the incident. Aviation regulator DGCA on 4 January had asked the airline to conduct an inquiry, NDTV reported.

The co-pilot later went back on, fearing the risk to passengers on board. The flight, that took off from London, landed safely in Mumbai after midnight of 1-2 January.

Besides physically assaulting the woman commander, the captain had left the cockpit unattended twice, which is in violation of the safety norms leading to the suspension of his licence, according to an official.

Jet Airways, the sources had said, will help her if she wishes to take the legal route against the pilot, the report added.

When contacted, a Jet Airways spokesperson had remarked that 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 1 January. However, the same was quickly resolved amicably, and the flight with 324 guests, including two infants and 14 crew members completed its journey in Mumbai safely.

Airline spokesperson

The source said these two senior pilots have been flying together for many years and have had arguments in the past as well. But on Monday, arguments turned violent and the male pilot slapped the woman commander 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.

Airline Source

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