IndiGo pilot suspended over misbehaviour with wheelchair-bound passenger
New Delhi/IBNS: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has suspended an IndiGo pilot accused of misbehaving with a woman and her elderly mother over providing wheelchair assistance on a Chennai-Bengaluru flight last month, media reports said.
The decision was announced after the pilot's response to a show-cause notice issued was examined.
"An investigation has revealed that the pilot in command misused his authority by intimidating and threatening the wheelchair-bound passenger and her attendant by saying that they will be handed over to the CISF and a police case will be registered against them for unruly behaviour," a release issued by the DGCA, available with media, read.
The pilot's flying licence has been suspended for a period of three months, the statement read.
According to reports, the pilot, identified as Jayakrishna, had allegedly verbally abused a journalist who asked for wheelchair assistance for her 75-year-old mother.
The journalist was even threatened that she would be detained for the night.
"We will teach you some manners... will ensure you are detained and spend a night in jail," he allegedly told the journalist, identified as Supriya Unni Nair, on Jan 13.
However, Nair described the entire incident in a series of tweets even after being threatened with dire consequences.
"Your captain on 6E-806 from Chennai to Bengaluru on January 13, Jayakrishna, threatened and prevented me and my 75-year-old diabetic mom from disembarking... threatened to arrest us because we asked for wheelchair assistance," she wrote, tagging IndiGo.
Nair said despite being printed on the ticket, she was refused access to a wheelchair for her mother by the flight attendant.
The pilot came out at this point and started shouting at her.
"Taken aback I tell him not to yell at me... then threat starts. The wheelchair guys arrive and he points at mom and says you're not going anywhere... prevents wheelchair people from taking my mom out of the aircraft... says he will ensure we spend a night in jail," she wrote.
After investigations, the DGCA found that the incident was true.
In its statement, it said: "The investigation has further revealed that the pilot in command exhibited aggression towards the lady passengers in his dealings while disregarding the fact that the elderly passenger required wheelchair assistance."
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