AI crew allege harassment by senior manager

A cabin crew member from the national carrier – Air India – has filed a compliant of harassment against a senior manager, who retired on September 30.

A cabin crew member from the national carrier – Air India – has filed a compliant of harassment against a senior manager, who retired on September 30. The crew member filed the complaint a couple of weeks ago against VD Katrekar, alleging that the former manager of in-flight service had threatened to kill him and his family.

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It is the second such complaint against the senior manager in the last two months. On August 20, another flight purser had filed a similar complaint of harassment against Katrekar at the Sahar police station.

Air India spokesperson confirmed that a second complaint had been filed against Katrekar. “We are investigating the matter,” said the spokesperson.

The second complainant claimed that he had received threatening calls in September. This was after the complainant along with other crew members had filed complaints with the central vigilance commission that Katrekar was allegedly favouring select flight attendants.

Subsequently, the vigilance sleuths filed a charge sheet against Katrekar and 18 airline employees whom he was allegedly favouring. “He would roster his friends on plum routes such as London and Tokyo so that they could earn fat flying allowances because the travelling time is more,” said an official from the vigilance department, requesting anonymity, as he is not authorised to talk about the issue.

Katrekar is also charged of been partial while rostering crew for VVIP flights. “Roster sheets show that his wife, an airhostess, was part of many VVIP flights,” added the official. She was a member of the crew that operated the Prime Minister’s flight to Philippines last September. Most flight attendants look forward to duties on VVIP flights as

they get to visit exotic locations that are not part of the Air India’s network.