Med assn complains about pilot to DGCA

MUMBAI: A Mumbai-based medical body has approached the aviation safety regulator seeking action against a set of Jet Airways pilots who were unable to land a flight carrying 200 passengers from Mumbai at the Jodhpur airport for two days in a row last week.

In the complaint sent to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday, the AIDS Society of India (ASI) alleged that a shortcoming in the training requirements of one of the pilots could have resulted in the aborted landings. “The DGCA must initiate inquiry into this episode and take stern action against the pilot and the airline as they risked the lives of 200 people on board,” said Dr IS Gilada, president, ASI. He was among 25 doctors from across the country travelling to Jodhpur for a medical conference.

The complaint added that after two aborted attempts to land in Jodhpur, the aircraft was flown to Jaipur.

ASI further alleged that passengers were left stranded at the Jaipur airport for hours without food and water. “The conference attendees had to take a bus ride from Jaipur to Jodhpur in poor weather,” added Dr Gilada.

An airline spokesperson dismissed the allegations. “Jet Airways flight 9W 315 from Mumbai to Jodhpur had to be diverted to Jaipur because of poor visibility at Jodhpur owing to heavy rain,” said the airline spokesperson. “Safety is of paramount importance to us. The stringent training modules... make our cockpit crew capable of handling such situations.”

DGCA chief Arun Mishra was not available for a comment.