Woman accuses off-duty Akasa pilot of harassment on Bengaluru-Pune flight: Report

According to the youngster, she attempted to seek assistance from the flight attendant and the airline, but no one took any action.

A 20-year-old student has alleged she was harassed by an off-duty pilot onboard an Akasa Air flight while travelling from Bengaluru to Pune earlier this month.

Akasa Air flight (Representational image)

According to a report by the Times of India, the student alleged that the pilot forced her to switch seats to sit near him and then offered her an alcoholic drink that he was consuming.

The incident reportedly took place on October 1, when the student was returning home on the flight after finishing her three-month internship in Bengaluru.

Recounting her disturbing experience, the student told TOI that the off-duty pilot - who was wearing his airline ID card - initially offered to assist her with luggage. After a while, he reportedly asked the girl - through a flight attendant - to come to the backside of the plane.

“Initially, I thought there was some problem with my check-in luggage. I went there and asked if there was an issue. He started laughing and offered me something in a bottle, claiming it was an alcoholic beverage he was drinking. I refused and returned to my seat with difficulty as he was constantly trying to strike up a conversation with me," the girl told TOI.

According to the woman, she attempted to seek assistance from the flight attendant and the airline, but no one took any action. She later claimed that the airline responded to her social media post, but no one reached out to her.

Meanwhile, according to media reports, Akasa Air claimed to have conducted a detailed investigation but found “difficulties in reaching the complainant”.