Air India pilots, who fought before flight, taken off flying duty

Two Air India pilots were derostered today 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 yesterday evening.

"We have derostered both the commander and the pilot of the Jaipur-Delhi flight pending enquiry," 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 as well.

"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 that the senior pilot, who was younger in age, had actually called the 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 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.

However, the co-pilot reportedly 'took offence' and attacked the captain. Despite the incident, the flight took off and a complaint was later filed by the commander.