Jet Airways fires pilots who fought on flight, left cockpit unattended

[HiFlyer 9,343]

I wonder why the Commander was fired as well? http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2018/01/09/jet-airways-fires-pilots-who-fought-on-flight-left-cockpit-unattended.html

What a mess...... 

Jet Airways has ultimately decided to terminate the employment of two employees who got into a heated in-flight fight on New Year's Day, during which the male co-pilot allegedly slapped his female commander and later left the cockpit completely unattended.

"Consequent to the review of the events … Jet Airways has terminated services of both the cockpit crew with immediate effect," said the airline in a statement obtained by the AFP.

Jet Airways had initially grouned the two pilots following an incident during a 9-hour trip from London to Mumbai on Jan 1. During the altercation, which occurred shortly after takeoff, the male co-pilot allegedly slapped the aircraft’s female commander, prompting her to leave the cockpit of the Boeing 777 in tears, according to sources for The Times of India.

“She stood in the galley sobbing,” said a source. “The cabin crew tried to comfort her and send her back to the cockpit, but in vain.”

The male co-pilot, still in the cockpit, then called out over the intercom for the commander to come back to the controls. When she wouldn’t, the co-pilot violated aviation safety rules and exited the cockpit himself — effectively leaving no one at the controls — to persuade her to return, per the Associated Press.

The woman reportedly returned to the cockpit with the co-pilot, only to exit again a little while later. This time, the plane’s crew was “quite afraid” of what was happening between the two senior commanders, as were the passengers in the cabin, sources say.

The flight crew eventually managed to coax the woman back into the captain’s seat, and the plane landed safely in London just after midnight on Jan. 2.

The airline later confirmed that both pilots were reported to India’s Directorate of General Civil Aviation over the “misunderstanding” on the flight, but claimed that the altercation was “resolved amicably.”

“At Jet Airways, safety of guests, crew and assets is of paramount importance and the airline has zero tolerance for any action of its employees that compromises safety,” the airline said in an earlier statement to The Times of India.

The Directorate of General Civil Aviation, or the DGCA, had confirmed the suspension of the male co-pilot’s license at the time. The DGCA and the airline subsequently investigated the incident, which the DGCA had called a “serious issue.”

[Murmur 3,941]

If the report of the journalist is accurate, I can understand the decision of the airline. I wouldn't want to fly with either of them as pilots.

 

[HiFlyer 9,343]

5 minutes ago, Murmur said:

If the report of the journalist is accurate, I can understand the decision of the airline. I wouldn't want to fly with either of them as pilots.

 

It seems the commander was essentially assaulted for unknown reasons, and exited the situation..... Where is the fault, if she was fearful of her safety? What was the alternative option? 

[Murmur 3,941]

2 minutes ago, HiFlyer said:

It seems the commander was essentially assaulted for unknown reasons, and exited the situation..... Where is the fault, if she was fearful of her safety? What was the alternative option? 

Just to be clear, it's not a matter of genre. If a male pilot slaps his male commander, and then in reaction the commander leaves the cockpit, then refuses to enter the cockpit again, leaving the controls of the aircraft to the person who he deems is acting in a dangerous and violent way, well, I wouldn't want to fly with that commander.

[Murmur 3,941]

The commander is responsible for the safety of aircraft and the passengers. And he/she leaves the cockpit in tears? With the crew trying to convince him/her to get back in the cockpit? ARE WE KIDDING?

 

[HiFlyer 9,343]

You still haven't given the alternative...

Fistfight in the cockpit?

And of course gender is relevent. Your average male has about 40% more upper body strength than your average female...

So... what was her most logical and safest option? If she had been seriously injured pretending to be a Jedi in the cockpit, people would be asking "Why did she stay?"

Unless she was willing to risk a very dubious and dangerous physical altercation amidst the controls of a working aircraft, what were her safest choices for all concerned?

I suspect the "In tears" part of the incident is whats causing the problem...

Of course, she could have tried ordering him to bahave or to leave the cockpit.....

Unless thats what caused the fight in the first place.....

 

[scottb613 1,186]

Hi Folks,

Well then the "commander" should have enlisted the help of the crew and/or passengers to subdue the threat to her aircraft - if the threat of physical violence was real and imminent... Leaving your post and crying in a passageway - IS NOT AN OPTION... Makes you wonder how she would have handled a true emergency and engenders a complete loss of confidence... 

Regards,
Scott

 

[HiFlyer 9,343]

So crew and passengers storm the cockpit......

Sounds like an action movie, and really dangerous.

I'm not sure I see the improvement in the situation.

I agree the commander is responsible for the aircrafts safety. I just think leaving the confrontation, at least temporarily, given the apparent intensity of the situation might have been one of the more valid of a list of bad options.

Pride, and proving how "in charge" she is/was probably comes/came in a hopefully distant last, to letting the flight get on the ground safely where the authorities can get involved.

I see no evidence that her co-pilot was ever a danger to the plane itself. But a confrontation in the cockpit certainly could be.

[YukonPete 580]

I don't believe anything on Fox news! 

 

[ms2 184]

27 minutes ago, YukonPete said:

 

I don't believe anything on Fox news! 

 

 

Agree for Fox news, but I think that the facts reported was near the reality because in a professional french pilots review of this week, I read the same story.

[Wink207 78]

Gotta be sex. No other realistic possibility.

[HighBypass 2,339]

I'd have made her a nice cup of tea, then jumped into the left hand seat ! As would most of us... 

No, No, it's fine..Jet Airways would not have to pay me the going rate for a Captain or even First officer... I'd do it for free (just the once!). 

Ahem, back to reality. If she was really that distressed then what should she have done? I think (as a layman) she should have at least got the co-pilot (EDIT she was the co-pilot it seems) so OTHER pilot out of there, radio'd ATC and the airline. If there were no relief crew on board, then maybe a diversion to land ASAP?

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/jet-airways-sacks-2-pilots-after-mid-air-fight-and-slap-inside-cockpit-1797708

[HighBypass 2,339]

3 minutes ago, silverheels2 said:

Gotta be sex. No other realistic possibility.

??? really? That escalated quickly!! Did she spurn his advances, or did he turn her down? 

Come on, the smut could be one possibility, but there are many other reasons which can cause these arguments between two people... 

[overspeed3 410]

I wonder if Jet Airlines new motto will be "Me Too" (?)

[ahsmatt7 1,199]

4 hours ago, HiFlyer said:

You still haven't given the alternative...

Fistfight in the cockpit?

And of course gender is relevent. Your average male has about 40% more upper body strength than your average female...

So... what was her most logical and safest option? If she had been seriously injured pretending to be a Jedi in the cockpit, people would be asking "Why did she stay?"

Unless she was willing to risk a very dubious and dangerous physical altercation amidst the controls of a working aircraft, what were her safest choices for all concerned?

I suspect the "In tears" part of the incident is whats causing the problem...

Of course, she could have tried ordering him to bahave or to leave the cockpit.....

Unless thats what caused the fight in the first place.....

 

The alternative? 

I would expect a captain to take control of the situation. That means getting the FO out if the cockpit if it's gotten to a seriously bad point....at that point, it's an emergency.

Not to leave the cockpit because she's been "assaulted." Thst goes for a man as well. 

There shouldn't be a serious altercation in a cockpit ever. We all can agreed on this. But a leader needs to do whatever they can to de-escalate something like this.

Honestly, I expect a captain in this situation to suck it up just enough to hold it together so the dingbat who slapped her can calm down. At thst point, do whatever needs to be done to continually keep the situation calm.....whicj may be taking a much more quite leadership role. Let's be honest, at this point, as a captain, your only job is to get the airplane down safely while preserving as much of the operation as possible for the people in the back. 

At the end of the day, she has a ton of people to keep safe and if thst means getting slapped a agsin in order to get the airplane down safwly....then that comes with the territory.

 

Kinda like the captain goes down with the ship.

 

For what it's worth, I had an FO yell at me and berate me for taking the controls from him in flight because he put the airplane in a situation thst if it continued, would end up quite badly. 

All I did was let him say what he needed to say, get it off his chest and calm down. I swallowed my pride after the moment and apologized for offending him. I also told him I didn't feel comfortable with what he had done.......

When we got on the ground and at the gate, I pulled him off the trip and gave him my very stern 2 cents on the matter. Needless to say, he's not working for the company anymore. 

There are better ways to handle a situation than what she did.

 

Disclaimer: im not condoning someown allowing someone to let them get slapped around. The fact that someone slapped her is so out if line. I can't believe thst someone actually would slap their superior no matter what gender or whatever they are.