Air India grounded two pilots for a fight which took place between them on the flight deck, as their plane was due to take off.
The captain and first officer came to blows in the cockpit as they were preparing for take-off on a Boeing Airbus 319, from Jaipur to Delhi.
It is alleged that the co-pilot beat up his colleague because he was told to record crucial figures, such as passenger numbers, weight and fuel details. A source suggests that “the co-pilot took offence at this and reportedly beat up the captain.”
Instead of reporting the incident to his superiors, as he was supposed to do, the captain decided to go ahead with the flight.
The airline has defended the captain's decision to continue with the flight as the decision was taken in the “larger interest”.
An Air India spokesperson has insisted that there was “an argument between the two and nothing more.” Furthermore, he also stated that the pair had been suspended pending an inquiry.
Air India, which has not had a reported annual profit since 2007 has been hit by a string of technical glitches and other embarrassing incidents, including staff turning up late for flights.
Many airlines have introduced a rule requiring two crew members in the cockpit at all times following the crash of a Germanwings plane last month.
