Sr AI official loses post, airline mum over allegations

MUMBAI: Air India (AI) stripped its general manager (GM) of inflight services (IFS) of his post last week after a flight attendant made allegations of sexual harassment against him. He has been instead asked to do flying duties as per the airline’s requirement.

Senior airline officials said the accused is a senior pilot who had been promoted to a managerial post.

HT has a copy of the notification issued by the airline on August 21, stating that Vasudha Chandna, GM (despatch), has been given the additional charge of GM IFS. The notification further stated the duty assignment of the former GM IFS will be notified in due course.

An AI spokesperson said, “The captain is entrusted with flying duties as required.”

The spokesperson, however, did not comment on AI’S decision to strip the GM IFS of his post or on the allegations of sexual harassment made against him.

Stating that no action had been taken against the accused, the complainant wrote a letter to civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu and Women and Child Development (WCD) minister Maneka Gandhi, with details of

the complaints she had made to the airline management. The flight attendant said the senior captain harassed her for the last six years. She also alleged that the captain used abusive words against women employees.

The letter was written after the internal complaints committee (ICC) sent a letter of closure pertaining to the case to the accused, as there were no witnesses to support the complaint. In her letter, the complainant also raised questions on the working of the ICC.

The WCD Ministry had asked the airline to provide details of the ongoing sexual harassment cases.