The airline wanted to be inspired by the stricter regulations imposed by other, particularly American, companies.
Air India said on Tuesday it had changed its in-flight alcohol distribution policy after a scandal dubbed ‘pipigate’ that left it $37,000 fine (34,000 euros) and a huge blow to its brand image. The incident took place on November 26 when a drunken senior US bank executive was accused of urinating on a 72-year-old woman who was sitting in business class on a flight between New York and New Delhi.
Called “pipigate” by local media, the airline has come under fire for allowing bankers, Indian nationals, to disembark normally when the plane lands, as well as handling passenger complaints. “We’ve reviewed our in-flight alcohol distribution policy, taking inspiration from other airline practices and rules set by the American Restaurant Association.”Air India said in a statement.
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An additional fine of one million rupiah
Staff will now be trained to spot suspicious behavior, added the operator, which was privatized last year. Air India also defended itself in the statement saying just that “according to the crew, the alleged perpetrator never poses a risk to flight safety”. The airline, however, admitted that it had failed to report the incident, as required by India’s aviation regulator.
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India’s General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGCA) last week fined Air India three million rupees ($37,000) and the in-flight services manager was fined another 300,000 rupees. Pilot licenses for flights were also suspended for three months “did not fulfill his obligations” and failed to guarantee the security and orderliness of its apparatus.
The airline has since called the penalty “excessive” and vowed to assist its staff’s appeal. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Tuesday imposed an additional fine of one million rupees (about 11,250 euros) on the airline for not reporting two other incidents of mischievous behavior by passengers on flights from Paris in New Delhi on December 6. A passenger suspected of being drunk was found smoking in the toilet, while another relieved himself on another passenger’s empty seat and blanket, regulators said.
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