After Mamata Banerjee's in-flight row, six private airline pilots have been grounded
Six private airline pilots have been grounded and asked to take "corrective training" for reporting low fuel after being asked to hover at the airport in Kolkata last week, which became a huge political controversy as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was in one of the flights.
Sources say the pilots, who were flying IndiGo, Air India and Spicejet flights, have been de-rostered on the orders of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation or DGCA, the aviation regulator.
Last Wednesday, Mamata Banerjee was in the Indigo flight when it was asked to circle the Kolkata airport for nearly 30 minutes while waiting for clearance to land. A day after, Ms Banerjee's Trinamool Congress alleged in parliament that her life was in danger as the plane was forced to hover when it was low on fuel and "about to crash".
IndiGo said that its pilot's remarks to Air Traffic Controllers were misunderstood and that he did not suggest he was running precariously low on fuel. The pilot reportedly said he had fuel for "an extra eight minutes" but officials thought he meant he had fuel for only eight minutes.
Sources say the DGCA has asked the pilots to go through corrective training to send a strong message to airlines that they shouldn't cut corners by having less than adequate fuel.
All the three airlines had maintained their "aircraft had enough fuel to reach an alternative airport within a flying time of 30 minutes."