If nothing else, Air India is a goldmine for stories when it comes to the actions of their staff. Some of it is perhaps overblown since the media loves picking on Air India, though at the same time I’m sure it’s not without merit.
In the latest saga, an Air India captain showed up drunk to operate a flight… for the third time.
Via Hindustan Times:
In a huge embarrassment for Air India (AI), a senior commander was caught drunk by security officials at the Sharjah airport minutes before he was to operate an international flight back home on Saturday.
Sources said this was the third time that the pilot tested positive for alcohol before operating a flight.
The captain, who was reeking of liquor, was caught at the security checkpoint of the Sharjah airport while being frisked by officials along with other passengers.
The security officials informed their seniors and the pilot was taken away.
AI said it had suspended the pilot.
“The captain was not fit to fly. We arranged another pilot to operate the Sharajah-Cochin-Delhi flight. The pilot has been detained for questioning. He was smelling of liquor. An inquiry is on,” said an AI spokesperson.
The story was confirmed by an Air India spokesperson, if nothing else, so there’s clearly merit to it.
The worst part? This guy was apparently up for promotion to be an instructor:
AI sources said the pilot’s name, along with two others, had recently been recommended to be considered for the instructor’s (the senior most pilot in the airline) position in the airline.
Oh, Air India!
Seriously, how screwed up does your airline have to be so that you can show up drunk to a flight three times, and still aren’t fired?!
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