The airline also decided to set up a committee to probe the molestation complaint lodged by air hostess Komal Singh against flight commander Ranbir Arora and co-pilot Aditya Chopra.
Air India (AI) suspended captain Ranbir Arora and flight purser Amit Khanna for a mid-air scuffle, after an internal probe established their involvement on Tuesday.
The AI management had formed a committee to probe the scuffle between two pilots and an airhostess on IC-884 on October 3. The probe found that the cockpit was not left unmanned during the flight. The probe also found that the commander and cabin crew had greater involvement, as compared to others, in magnifying the altercation.
The management said the extent of involvement and culpability of the pilots and crew would be determined through a regular departmental enquiry.
Airline spokesperson Jitendra Bhargava said the management had taken a very serious view of the incident. He said a five-member committee, headed by a senior female official, would examine charges of sexual harassment levelled by the airhostess.
Bhargava said the committee had a representative from a non-governmental organisation. The pilots’ union broke its silence and backed the two pilots on Tuesday. It claimed the incident was unfortunate and had been blown out of proportion. Union members were quick to add that they would support the outcome of the internal probe.
“If (airhostess) Komal Singh is right, we will support her. There will be three enquiries, by the management, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and police,” Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association president Shailendra Singh said.
He claimed the incident was avoidable. “I have been told that they (pilots) were trying to tell Amit Khanna to leave the cockpit, and they would settle everything in Lucknow. But he did not leave. The captain and co-pilot did not exchange blows with the boy.
Komal was standing behind Amit in the cockpit, and she may have inadvertently got injured or pushed back, injuring herself,” said Singh.
A senior police officer said the airline was yet to give them the passenger manifest and addresses of the pilots and crew.
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