Mumbai: Senior Air Force One pilots, tasked with flying the prime
minister, are miffed with a Jet Airways pilot who allegedly commented
about the delay caused by the PM's aircraft on an open radio channel as
Narendra Modi was leaving Mumbai following his October 11 visit.
Officials from the civil aviation ministry and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation refused to comment on the issue. A Jet Airways spokesperson told Mirror no government agency has raised the issue with the airline. The two pilots involved could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts.
The incident happened at 6 pm on Sunday, when the co-pilot of flight 9W-461 to Chennai, Captain Rohan Datta mentioned over the ground control channel that the delay caused to flights from Mumbai must be reported directly to the prime minister.
Datta allegedly went on to chidingly ask if his aircraft was the first in line for departure, knowing well that Air Force One was still on ground, in bay 11, and would be the first to take off.
The PM's pilot, identified by sources only as Indian Air Force Wing Commander Borat, instantly reacted, asking on the RF who the captain was. Datta did not respond.
Senior airport officials in the know told Mirror Datta was the only one to speak on the communication channel, with even the commander of the Jet aircraft, Captain Sharmin Carwa, remaining silent. Officials told Mirror there were guffaws and giggles from pilots of half-a-dozen planes that were tuned to the same ground control channel.
Read news in full 15/10/15 Aditya Anand/Mumbai Mirror
Officials from the civil aviation ministry and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation refused to comment on the issue. A Jet Airways spokesperson told Mirror no government agency has raised the issue with the airline. The two pilots involved could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts.
The incident happened at 6 pm on Sunday, when the co-pilot of flight 9W-461 to Chennai, Captain Rohan Datta mentioned over the ground control channel that the delay caused to flights from Mumbai must be reported directly to the prime minister.
Datta allegedly went on to chidingly ask if his aircraft was the first in line for departure, knowing well that Air Force One was still on ground, in bay 11, and would be the first to take off.
The PM's pilot, identified by sources only as Indian Air Force Wing Commander Borat, instantly reacted, asking on the RF who the captain was. Datta did not respond.
Senior airport officials in the know told Mirror Datta was the only one to speak on the communication channel, with even the commander of the Jet aircraft, Captain Sharmin Carwa, remaining silent. Officials told Mirror there were guffaws and giggles from pilots of half-a-dozen planes that were tuned to the same ground control channel.
Read news in full 15/10/15 Aditya Anand/Mumbai Mirror
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