Air rage is a common enough topic these days, and as noted elsewhere on Consumertraveler.com, New Mexico has even gone so far as to take away US Airways’ right to serve liquor on their planes in or over the state.
It often seems that whether due to increased media coverage here, or just the general American tendency to be a little “outspoken”, especially after a few drinks, U.S. passengers seem to be at the center of many incidents.
But on a recent Air India flight, it wasn’t an American, nor even a passenger, involved in a mid-air incident. It was was the crew. No word if alcohol was involved.
According to an account in the Times of India, an argument between the cabin crew and the pilots started on the ground at Sharjah Airport in the United Arab Emirates, and escalated after the plane took off.
The cabin crew later accused the pilots of sexually harassing a flight attendant. The pilots, on the other hand, accused the flight attendant of filing a false complaint to protect her purser friend from facing charges for his insubordination. Whoever’s fault it was, the situation escalated into an actual fist fight in full view of the passengers. And apparently both the female cabin crew member and the co-pilot sustained bruises.
There were even unconfirmed reports that at one stage the cockpit was unmanned, as the crew was busy fighting outside.
Air India, which has been fighting labor issues including a strike last month, said it had ordered an inquiry and has grounded the staff members involved.
While I have seen passengers nearly come to blows with each other or crew, an midair intra-crew battle is something new. Although according to a storys told by an unnamed off-duty U.S. flight attendant, tensions often run high between the crew.
The galley conversation apparently went something like this “How’d you decide to go for this flight?” “My boyfriend was working this plane.” “Really? That’s a coincidence, so’s mine, who’s your boyfriend? “The pilot?” “Wait a minute, MY boyfriend is the pilot…”
Safety issues make incidents like this less than a real laughing matter. But as in-flight entertainment goes, I suppose on some level it could provide a different way to pass the time, especially for jaded business travelers, than that third showing of “Ice Age.”
Photo by temp13rec/flickr/creative commons
Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)
