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Air India tells crew to report all safety matters within 12 hrs
A senior airline official admitted that the order is a direct fallout of the pilot, who, according to the complaint, invited a female friend to the cockpit
Air India has asked its crew to report all safety related matters and incidents within 12 hours in an order dated April 24 that came into effect from Wednesday. The order was issued a few days after a pilot let his friend enter the cockpit violating safety norms, a breach first reported by HT.
In an order, the airline has said it is “a legal requirement to raise a Mandatory Occurrence Report (MOR) for all reportable incidents to the DGCA by the FSD (flight safety department) within a 12-hour reporting window.”
A senior official at the airline admitted that the order is a direct fallout of the pilot, who according to complaint by a cabin crew member, not only invited a female friend to the cockpit, but also told the cabin crew to make the cockpit “look inviting” and ordered them to serve his friends beverages and drinks reserved for business class passengers.
“The order comes after the recent incident (that took place on February 27) when the pilot let his friend into the cockpit and violated norms. It seems that the airline has finally realised that the matter was reported to them on March 3 itself but the FSD did not act on it and started taking action only after media reported the violation,” added the official who asked not to be named.
India’s aviation regulator took cognisance of the HT report and ordered an inquiry.
AI’s order focused on the importance of reporting of safety events in a timely manner to help to identify potential hazards, correct safety deficiencies, and prevent accidents from happening in the future. It asked the airline employees to prioritise safety.
“As aviation professionals your top priority is always the safety and well-being of your passengers and crew. To maintain and improve aviation safety, it is crucial that you report any safety events or incidents that occur during your flights,” the order read. HT has reviewed a copy of it.
“Reporting of safety events can help to identify potential hazards, correct safety deficiencies, and prevent accidents from happening in the future. It is important to remember that reporting a safety event is not an admission of fault, but rather a necessary step in improving aviation safety,” it added.
It is also important to report any incidents or concerns related to crew fatigue, training deficiencies or other human factors that could impact safety, the airline stated. “By reporting safety events, you are helping to identify and address potential hazards before they can cause harm. This not only improves aviation safety, but it also helps to build a culture of safety within Air India,” the order said, adding that the Air India Flight Safety website is the primary platform to be used for reporting all the Mandatory Reports (MOR).”
A second airline official suggested that the issue does not lie in reporting delays, pointing out that while the incident of a drunk passenger urinating on another passenger was promptly reported to “all the concerned officials and top management” there was still “a major delay in taking action”.
“The airline must realise that it is not the delay in reporting the incidents but the delay in acting by the departments,” this person added.
