Pilot who threatened wheelchair-bound flyer suspended for 3 months

During the investigation, it was found thatthe pilot-in-command “insisted” on an apologyletter from the passengers — the senior citizenand her daughter — and detained them for approximately 75 minutes after the deboarding began at the Bengaluru airport.

“It was established that the pilot-in-command’s attitude towards the wheelchair-bound senior citizen passenger was intimidating, threatening and lacked compassion. The DGCA has suspended his license for three months,” the official added.

Independent journalist Supriya Unni Nair, who had asked for a wheelchair for her 75-year-old mother after landing in Bengaluru on January 13 night, had narrated the incident in multiple tweets.

According to Nair’s tweets, the cabin crewstated that they do not have access to wheelchair assistance.

Seeing the commotion on this issue, thepilot-in-command came in between, misbehaving and threatening Nair and her mother with jail,Nair had said.

Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri wrote on Twitter on January 14, “I requested my office to contact IndiGo as soon as I saw the tweet by Ms Supriya Unni Nair about the pilot’s behaviour with her and her 75-year-old mother in need of wheelchair assistance.”

“The airline has informed Ministry of Civil Aviation that the pilot has been off-rostered pending full enquiry,” he added.

On Monday, the DGCA official said their investigation found that the captain threatened Nair and her mother by saying they will be handed over to the CISF and a police case will be registered against them for “unruly behaviour”.