Air India Pilots hand over control to FA's for a 40-minute break

[Fruitcake]

I'm assuming (hoping!) this story isn't quite as it seems...

Pilots suspended for handing over control to air-hostesses for a 40-minute loo break - Mumbai Mirror

Two Air India pilots put the lives of 166 passengers on a Bangkok-Delhi flight in danger by taking a 40-minute break from the coughpit and getting two stewardesses to operate the plane in their absence. Their stunt almost ended in disaster after one of the stewardesses accidentally turned off the auto-pilot, forcing the pilots to rush back to their seats.

 

[lovestotravel]

Re: Pilots suspended for handing over control to air-hostesses for a 40-minute loo br

Air India...... Say no more

 

[casanovawa]

Re: Pilots suspended for handing over control to air-hostesses for a 40-minute loo br

The ultimate opportunity for a novice to spend a bit of time in the big chair and have a crack at it...

But yes, 40 mins and both at the same time seems a tad bit irresponsible...

 

[Happy Trails]

Re: Pilots suspended for handing over control to air-hostesses for a 40-minute loo br

This is absolutely outrageous, I mean who's serving the drinks while the FAs are flying the plane?

 

[get me outta here]

Re: Pilots suspended for handing over control to air-hostesses for a 40-minute loo br

If it's 40 mins in the loo they need to watch their diet.

 

[tuapekastar]

Re: Pilots suspended for handing over control to air-hostesses for a 40-minute loo br

If it's 40 mins in the loo they need to watch their diet.

Curry will do that!

 

[Ansett]

Air India Pilots Sleep FA's fly the planes

Pilots make flight attendants fly plane so they can sleep


Now I wonder why I would never fly Air India

 

[Flying Fox]

Re: Air India Pilots Sleep FA's fly the planes

And of course, the airline denies all of this -

Air India denies reports pilots 'napped in business class'

I think that there has to be an element of truth to all this.

 

[cove]

Re: Air India Pilots Sleep FA's fly the planes

Was it the vinda-loo by any chance?

 

[vmile]

Re: Air India Pilots Sleep FA's fly the planes

Some outstanding bargains here, obviously having problems filling the planes in J.

Singapore-Paris $1438, Singapore-London $1699 Return in Business, Air India


Checking flights for September/October and found these on ITA onthefly and also Kayak UK.
A319 SIN-DEL/BOM, 777 to London.


Delhi-Paris(CDG) and back is showing as being on one of the new Boeing 787s.

Perhaps they could get the numbers up if they pushed the 'one free flying lesson with each business class ticket' promotion.........

 

[browski]

Re: Air India Pilots Sleep FA's fly the planes

I think I prefer that the FAs take control if the pilots want a kip.

Did Northwest Pilots Fall Asleep? Mishap Suggests Fatigue - TIME

 

[chrisb]

Re: Air India Pilots Sleep FA's fly the planes

I think I prefer that the FAs take control if the pilots want a kip.

Did Northwest Pilots Fall Asleep? Mishap Suggests Fatigue - TIME

Unless something like QF72 happens and the aircraft decides to nose dive spontaneously in the middle of cruise.

I have no issue with naps for the flight crew but it should be one at a time, in their seat, and the non sleeping pilot should be required to checkin with the cabin crew regularly and the cabin crew should have access to the flight deck. (I suppose a flight deck dead man type switch with an alarm could work too)

 

[mannej]

Re: Air India Pilots Sleep FA's fly the planes

For some reason, this sticks in my mind regarding AI...

Air India Near Death Incident [Archive] - PPRuNe Forums

 

[Mal]

Re: Air India Pilots Sleep FA's fly the planes

And of course, the airline denies all of this -

Air India denies reports pilots 'napped in business class'

I think that there has to be an element of truth to all this.

There was an "overstay of the cabin crew in the coughpit," the airline said, and "due to distraction the co-pilot had touched the autopilot disconnect button momentarily, but the same was connected back".

Mmmkay. Even that story suggests something was going on...

 

[mannej]

More AI news...

http://m.perthnow.com.au/travel/tra...ughpit-door-jams/story-fnho5w8j-1226642614176

 

[AVC]

What is crazy, is why did they both need to leave?

Back in the day we called this "a soldier's five". The five minute lesson to operate (insert large piece of military hardware here). And it's literally five minutes. If not less.

I remember the Soldiers Five on using a four and a half ton Clark offroad forklift, and while it (the Soldier's Five) doesn't usually involve aircraft, I do recall being on exercise in NT, and the mail plane was flown from Darwin each day out to Arnhem Land, where we were stationed. A colleague had to jump a ride back to Darwin in the mail plane (a Caribou) and got the Soldiers Five on how to operate and fly the thing halfway back to Darwin.

We were jealous.

 

[whatmeworry]

With all these Air India incidents, we might have to make a separate section in Travel News for all their mishaps!