Indian commercial pilots threaten to file defamation suit against MP

By NNN-PTI

New Delhi : The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) today threatened to file a defamation suit against Muslim League MP Abdul Wahab for calling a pilot a “glorified driver” after allegedly barging into the cockpit of an Air India aircraft two days back.


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It also accused him of conducting a “serious” breach of security norms and endangering flying operations.

“We will file a defamation suit against the MP,” ICPA president Kapil Raina told reporters here, adding that the lawmaker was responsible for “Level Four” threat by entering the cockpit.

He said Wahab has also breached the Indian Aircraft Rule 29, which lays down, “No person shall interfere with the commander or with members of the operating crew of an aircraft or tamper with the aircraft or its equipments or conduct himself in a disorderly manner with the passengers or crew.” The MP was deplaned on Tuesday for allegedly “opening the cockpit door, entering it (cockpit) and abusing the pilot”.

But Wahab, who was a resident of the UAE for the last 32 years, and shifted his base to Kerala after becoming a Rajya Sabha (upper House) MP, maintained that he never entered the cockpit.

Meanwhile, an Air India official has stated that the pilot did not speak rudely to Wahab.

The lawmaker had threatened to move Parliament’s Privileges Committee on the issue.

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