The All India Cabin Crew Association (AICCA) has demanded that the crew of the Air India 102 New York - New Delhi flight, who were derostered in connection with a urination case, onboard be rolled back. The body also criticized the findings of an internal committee in the case and called the probe "flawed".
In line with the statements of the lawyer of Shankar Mishra, the accused in the case, the AICCA also stated that there is no 9B seat in the business class compartment of the aircraft in question.
"Our attention is also drawn to the press reports and extracts of the internal complaints committee (ICC) which are incredulous and flawed. There is no seat 9B on the Air India 777-300 ER and our 15 crew and four pilots did not personally appear before the ICC committee to depose before them either," the cabin crew body wrote in a letter.
"That report, which has been submitted to the DGCA, also respectfully, seems based on wrong facts and incorrect assumptions and hence a nullity," it added.
It went on to say that it has taken note of the "unusually harsh punishment on the Pilot in Command". This comes in the backdrop of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) imposing a penalty of Rs 30 lakh on Air India as well as suspending the license of the pilot-in-command for three months.
"The AICCA is constrained to state that Cabin Crew did not depose before the NCW Committee and we regret the inference that Cabin Crew were allegedly found wanting, when the facts are completely the opposite," the letter read.
"It must be noted our crew filed detailed reports on the incident on landing to those concerned and acted on instructions. The AICCA places on record that all the crew and pilots acted judiciously, within the law and in the best interests of the safety, security and well being of all the passengers and crew on the flight," it added.
Earlier, the Indian Pilots' Guild had also stated that may take legal recourse or choose other options following the suspension of the Air India pilot's license.
"The matter was reported to the senior management of the company at that time. We believe that he has been punished unnecessarily in this matter," a member of the guild was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.
