Pilots grounded after fight inside cockpit

◗ Licence of male pilot who left the cockpit unmanned has been suspended

A serious incident midair that could have jeopardised the lives of hundreds of passengers has come to light wherein the cockpit of a Jet Airways flight from London to Mumbai was left unmanned for a while following a quarrel between the two pilots, one of them a lady, on January 1. The aircraft had 338 people on board. The DGCA has suspended the licence of the male co- pilot.

A serious incident midair that could have jeopardised the lives of hundreds of passengers has come to light wherein the cockpit of a Jet Airways flight from London to Mumbai was left unmanned for a while following a quarrel between the two pilots, one of them a lady, on January 1. The aircraft had 338 people, including 324 passengers, on board.

Taking a serious view of the incident, the DGCA has suspended the licence of the male co- pilot who left the cockpit unmanned after the lady pilot had initially left the cockpit in tears. Both pilots have been grounded and the DGCA has ordered an inquiry. “The licence of only the male co- pilot has been suspended since he was the one who left the cockpit unmanned after the lady- pilot went out first,” top DGCA sources told this newspaper.

As per rules, one of the two pilots have to be in the cockpit at all times. Sources in Jet Airways said there would have been a major catastrophe had the cockpit door shut by mistake and jammed and not responded to the access codes since the pilots would have then been unable to get in.

The incident occurred when the lady pilot and her male co- pilot had an argument in the cockpit of Jet Airways flight 9W 119 from London to Mumbai after take- off.

According to sources, the male co- pilot allegedly slapped the lady pilot commander who left the cockpit in tears.