Senior official is harassing us: Pilots

An Air India pilots’ union on Wednesday approached the civil aviation ministry and the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) alleging that the airline management had failed to act on their complaint against a senior operations official.

An Air India pilots’ union on Wednesday approached the civil aviation ministry and the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) alleging that the airline management had failed to act on their complaint against a senior operations official.

HT Image

On October 13, the Indian Pilots’ Guild (IPG), one of the two recognised pilot unions, had levelled serious allegations against Captain Rohit Bhasin, an additional general manager of operations. “There is glaring evidence against him. How can the management ignore these charges?” asked an IPG spokesperson.

According to the complaint, Captain Bhasin allegedly intimidated pilots who reported sick. The letter sent to the ministry and the CVC also claims that he had withheld salaries of pilots. The amount ranges from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. He also allegedly abused pilots for refusing international flight duties when they did not have their passports. Pilots plying on international routes often submit their passports with the company for obtaining visas.

The senior operations officer is also charged of assigning flight duties to select pilots on plum routes. For instance, he selected his son for flights to Australia and New Zealand during the recent Commonwealth Games over other senior pilots, the pilot body claimed. An Air Indian spokesperson denied the charges. “The officer has never intimidated any sick pilot neither has he forced any pilot to fly without a passport,” said the spokesperson.