The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a show cause notice to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson and Head of Safety, Security and Quality Functions Henry Donohoe for the airline’s lapse in reporting about the incident of a pilot allowing a female friend inside the cockpit during a Dubai-Delhi flight (AI 915) on February 27. 

Air India has 15 days to respond from the date of notice issuance. After examining the response, the DGCA will decide on the action against the crew members and the airline. Earlier this month, the DGCA directed Air India to deroster the entire crew of the Dubai-Delhi flight till investigations are complete. “The show-cause notices were issued to the Air India CEO and the head of flight safety on April 21 for not doing timely reporting of the incident to the DGCA, which is in violation of the regulator’s safety instructions.

There was a delay in investigating the incident. Both the executives have been given 15 days to respond to the show-cause notices,” the official said. As per the rules, unauthorised people are not allowed to enter the cockpit and any such entry could be in violation of norms.

A cabin crew member of the flight had filed a complaint with the DGCA about the pilot allowing a female friend into the cockpit on February 27. According to the crew member’s complaint, the pilots of flight AI 915 were late and boarded the aircraft along with passengers. Then the captain asked the crew if there was any vacant business class seat for his friend.

The pilot’s way of speaking and actions offended the cabin crew member who filed the complaint on return. The actual incident occurred on February 27 and it was reported by confidential mail to Campbell and Donohoe on March 3. The first enquiry was conducted by the DGCA on April 21 while Air India had not done any enquiry before that.

The complainant in a special incident report sent to Wilson and Henry Donohoe, had stated, “I have been too shattered and too shocked with certain incidents, threatening and humiliating manner of the Commander when I had raised the DGCA violations made by him...”