New Delhi, April 6: Two Air India pilots were derostered Monday after a scuffle between the two in the cockpit of a plane just before its departure from Jaipur over a minor issue of the captain addressing his deputy as ‘uncle’.
The incident took place when the plane was readying to take off for Delhi Sunday evening. “We have derostered both the commander and the pilot of the Jaipur-Delhi flight pending an inquiry,” an Air India spokesperson said.
Denying that the co-pilot “physically” took on his captain, the spokesperson said there were only heated exchanges of minor argument, which was later resolved.
“The commander in his report has also stated that it was a minor argument and not any fight as such. We are probing the issue and based on the findings of the report, we will take appropriate action,” the spokesperson said.
Sources, however, said the senior pilot, who was younger in age, had actually called the co-pilot “uncle” while asking him to prepare some mandatory flight details.
“The co-pilot of the flight was quite senior in age. When the commander was readying for take-off, he asked him to take down some details, but addressing him as uncle. The junior pilot took umbrage to it and this led to argument,” a source said.
The fight was reportedly triggered by the captain asking his deputy to note critical data like the number of passengers on board, take-off weight and other details for a card that is kept in front of them for the flight for reference.PTI
