Mid-air scuffle: AI airhostess in trouble for speaking out

NEW DELHI: After suspending the pilot and flight purser of Air India (IC) 884 for a mid-air scuffle on October 3, the airline filed a departmental chargesheet against all four crew members, including airhostess Komal Singh, who were involved in the fight. Singh, who had accused the pilot of harassment, has had charges of having entered into an altercation, not leaving the cockpit on directions of the pilot and having spoken to the media against the company's policy slapped on her.
The company has also launched a vigilance enquiry and disciplinary action against another senior cabin crew member of Alliance Air, Simrath Chopra for ``refusing to comply with administrative decisions taken by the management of Airlines Allied Services Ltd'' to merge with the parent company of NACIL.Interestingly, Chopra had filed a case of sexual harassment against the head of her department, Capt Devi Sharan, the pilot of the hijacked IC flight to Kandahar. However, the pilot received support from other women employees of the company who staunchly defended his `character' in a letter to the management Thursday.
According to airline sources, a preliminary enquiry was carried out into the mid-air scuffle and a separate committee examined charges of Singh against pilot Ranbir Arora and co-pilot Aditya Chopra. ``However, we found that all four were guilty of some charges or the other, including tarnishing the reputation of the company. A departmental chargesheet has been filed against all four and a detailed department enquiry will be carried out shortly,'' said an official.
Arora and flight purser Amit Khanna have already been suspended. While charges against Arora include the use of abusive language and pushing Khanna and Singh out of the cockpit, Khanna has been accused of initiating the altercation.
Singh's family, meanwhile, was ``extremely disappointed'' with what they termed as unfair treatment. Her sister, Poonam Singh told ToI: ``We are very shocked. There was no reason for the chargesheet against Komal. The pilot is making up stories to defame her. When she refused to entertain his advances, he carried out the entire drama to harass her. He used abusive language against her and used force to shove her out of the cockpit.''
In the case of Chopra, the airline spokesperson said that several cases of indiscipline are pending against her but she has so far failed to assist them in any enquiry. ``In August this year, she filed a case of harassment against Capt Sharan for an incident that dates back to 1996-97. She has also asked for certain benefits in the same letter,'' said the spokesperson.