The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India's aviation regulator, has ordered a detailed probe into an incident where an Air India pilot permitted his female friend to enter the cockpit, during a flight from Dubai to Delhi.
The DGCA said on Friday that they are conducting an inquiry into the matter, ANI reported.
"The act violates aviation regulator DGCA safety norms," a senior DGCA official told ANI, requesting anonymity.
After the flight took off from Dubai, on February 27, the pilot invited his female friend into the cockpit who was travelling as a passenger on the same flight. According to the DGCA official, the women remained in the cockpit throughout the flight which lasted up to three hours.
The official claimed that the act of the pilot was not only a breach of security but also a violation of safety norms that should not be compromised.
Depending upon the outcome of the investigation, the pilot could face disciplinary action, including suspension or cancellation of his licence, said the official.
Earlier, on April 18, a flight which took off from Pune asked for an emergency landing at Indira Gandhi International Airport after a suspected windshield crack. This Delhi-bound Air India flight landed normally and no passengers were injured.
Similarly, on March 12, an Air India flight from Amritsar to Delhi made an emergency landing at Jaipur airport as one of its engines malfunctioned mid-air. There were 179 passengers on board and all of them were safely evacuated.
Another incident was reported on February 15 where an Air India flight from Mumbai to Newark was diverted to London after a bomb threat. The threat was received by email and turned out to be a hoax. The flight resumed its journey after thoroughly checking its security measures.
