pdogg Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Two Air India pilots have been suspended after reporting to leave a plane on autopilot in the hands of cabin crew while they slept in business class. The pilots left the cockpit for 40 minutes while they had a nap, leaving two flight attendants in charge of flying the plane who accidentally turned off the autopilot, The Times of India reports. The two pilots are reported to have rushed back from their seats to steer the plane back to safety once they realised the auto-pilot had been turned off. An Air India source said the crew members’ actions “made a mockery of air safety”. “It is standard procedure to ensure the presence of a second person in the cockpit if the pilot is not able to operate the aircraft. But what actually happened after this made a mockery of air safety,” the source told The Times of India. The four crew members on the Bangkok to Delhi flight have been suspended, and Air India has admitted in a statement today that there was “over stay of the cabin crew in the cockpit”. However, it claims it was the co-pilot not the cabin crew who switched off the auto-pilot, saying “due to distraction, the co-pilot touched the auto pilot disconnect button momentarily. But the same was connected back.” An inquiry about the incident is now being conducted by India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGVA). Arun Mishra, director general of DGVA, said: “Following a safety violation, the airline has already suspended the people in question. We are conducting an inquiry into the matter.” http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/air-india-pilots-suspended-for-leaving-cabin-crew-in-charge-of-plane-while-they-slept-in-business-class-8603075.html Quote Link to comment
SiamSam Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Jesus H Christ!!!! How stupid and incompetent can these people be!?!? Quote Link to comment
deepthroat Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 Yeah, you'd almost think they were Americans. Quote Link to comment
johnlbx Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 Sounds fishy to me. Who was communicating with ATC while the pilots were sleeping? Surely not the stewardesses.. Quote Link to comment
CheekyCharlie Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Their Indian. Probably goosing the stewardesses whilst the gay purser was at the controls. He know doubt was on auto pilot himself knocking one out LOL Quote Link to comment
petesie Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 They also recently discovered a fair few of their pilots had fake licenses...how feckin' scary is that! Quote Link to comment
ArchieBunker Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 I bet the stews didnt even get the pilot's pay rate while they were at the controls!!!! FFS!!! Quote Link to comment
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