Two Air India pilots have been grounded following a pre-take-off cockpit spat that allegedly descended into a fight.
The co-pilot hurled abuse at and struck the pilot of a Jaipur-New Delhi flight after being asked to record essential flight data in a log.
"The co-pilot took offence at this and reportedly beat up the captain," said an airline source cited in a Times of India report.
Despite the cockpit fracas, the captain and co-pilot flew the plane ‘in the larger interests of the airline’ and the incident was later reported at the destination.
In response, an Air India spokesman would only say: "The two had an argument. They have settled the issue."
The news report claimed the co-pilot has previously faced similar charges in the past.
"Three years back, he asked a pilot to come out of the cockpit, remove the stars on his shirt collar and then fought with him. A year later, another pilot complained about his ‘rude and unbecoming’ behavior in the cockpit and questioned his state of mind," said a senior Air India pilot.
The incident comes just days after the Indian Commercial Pilots Association asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to investigate Air India over ‘stressed’ junior pilots being overworked.
This is an issue which was itself escalated after the extra scrutiny of pilot mental health and wellbeing following the Germanwings crash last month.
