Air India CEO asks employees to report any improper behavior to authorities

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After two back-to-back urination incidents were reported mid-air on an Air India flight, the airline chief executive officer (CEO) Campbell Wilson asked the airline staff to report any instances of “any improper behaviour on board to authorities at the earliest even if the matter appears to be resolved”.

In a letter to Air India employees, the CEO stated that timely action is necessary against those who don’t follow the flight rules. Campbell said, “This week has, ‘regrettably’, been dominated by media headlines of which you are no-doubt familiar. The repulsion felt by the affected passenger is totally understandable and we share her distress.”

He reiterated the importance of reporting untoward incidents onboard flights to authorities, even if the crew believes it has been resolved.

“Whilst the story is more complicated than has been reported, there are clearly some lessons we can and must learn. Most importantly is that, if an incident on our aircraft involves improper behaviour of such magnitude, we must report it to authorities at the earliest opportunity, even if we genuinely believe that the matter has been settled between the parties involved. The same applies in the case of passengers deemed to meet the threshold of ‘Unruly’,” the letter reads.

“We must also be clear on the standard of behaviour that is expected on our aircraft and take firm, decisive and timely action against those who do not comply,” he said.
“Though there are numerous cases in which we have done exactly this, I have asked that these, and other relevant aspects of the Safety and Emergency Procedures Manual, be immediately reiterated by operating departments and reinforced in recurrent training, and I ask each of you to reflect on what you would do if faced with such situations. As in any other area, knowledge and preparation underpin confidence and outcome,” the CEO added.
On November 26, a drunk passenger allegedly unzipped and urinated on a co-passenger in the business class of an Air India flight from New York to Delhi. He remained at the spot, exposing himself until another passenger asked him to return to his seat.

The Delhi Police on Wednesday filed an FIR on the shocking incident based on a complaint by Air India.

The police have registered an FIR in the matter under sections 354, 509, and 510 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 23 of the Indian Aircraft Act. Both the accused and the victim are from outside Delhi.

Days after the shocking incident of November 26 last year came to light, another incident of a “drunk man urinated on a blanket of a co-passenger” while the Air India flight was on its way from Paris to the national capital.