The regulator has also directed the airline to take “administrative action” against the friend-passenger who was travelling as staff on duty (SOD), including “removing her from any managerial functions in the organisation for a specified period.”
Air India has been fined Rs 70 lakh by DGCA in three separate instances in the last few months.
“During the operation of (this) flight AI 915 (Delhi-Dubai), the PIC allowed the entry into cockpit during cruise of an AI SOD travelling as passenger, in violation of DGCA regulations. CEO of Air India received a complaint in this regard from one of the operating crew member of the flight. However, the organisation did not take prompt corrective action despite this being a safety sensitive violation. Anticipating delayed response, the complainant approached the DGCA,” the regulator said in a statement.
The DGCA has taken three-pronged action in this case. “AI has been fined Rs 30 lakh for not promptly and effectively addressing the safety sensitive issue. The pilot licence of the PIC has been suspended for three months for misuse of his authority vested under the Aircraft Rules 1937 and allowing violation of the applicable DGCA regulations. The co-pilot has been warned for not being assertive in preventing the violation,” the statement said.
“AI has been directed to take administrative action against the SOD/passenger including removing from any managerial functions in the organisation for a specified period,” it added.
In the past few months, AI has received hefty fines in many cases. These include Rs 30 lakh fine for not reporting a November 26, 2022, incident where a male flyer relieved himself on a female female passenger in business class onboard AI-102 New York-Delhi flight.
Then it was fined Rs 10 lakh for not reporting a December 6, 2022, incident onboard AI-142 Paris-Delhi flight where a flyer relieved himself on a vacant seat and blanket of a fellow female passenger when she had gone to the lavatory.