MUMBAI: Air India has barred its pilots and flight attendants from operating flights with spouses, siblings and children as fellow crew members.
Unlike private domestic carriers, many crew members in AI have relatives working in the same company. The oldest Indian carrier employs pilots who have married co-pilots and colleagues tasked with cabin service. The national carrier said that the move was for maintaining air safety.
“It has been noticed that flight duties are being performed by immediate family members on the same flight either as pilot-in-command, co-pilot or cabin crew. For safety, family members ie wife, husband, children, sisters and brothers performing flight duties on the same flight is henceforth prohibited,” the airline said.
It added that, in case, the automated flight rosters schedule family members on the same flight they should volunteer to get it changed.
AI chairperson and managing director Ashwani Lohani said there hadn’t been any instance of air safety lapses owing to family members operating a flight .“It has more to do with discipline ,” he said.
Crew members, however, felt that the move could hamper their personal life.