Air India suspends three of its crew members for allowing employee to sleep on flight's floor

Air India has suspended three of its crew members, including two airhostesses, after they allegedly allowed one of the company’s employee to sleep on the floor of a flight from the US.

The incident took place last week when Air India flight AI-102 was on way to New Delhi from New York.

According to sources, the person was spotted sleeping on the floor of the gallery of first class of the Boeing 777-300 aircraft by some passengers, who later on arrival here brought it to the notice of the Air India Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani, who immediately ordered for grounding of the three crew members.

“We have grounded all three crew members, pending enquiry, after it was brought to our notice  that they allowed the company employee to sleep on the floor,” a senior Air India official said.

Air India employees get certain number of free passes for travel on its flight, subjected to seat availability.

“In this case the aircraft had full load but the staffer managed to board the flight by telling them that he would not mind travelling on the jump seat, which are meant for crew rest,” the official said.

When contacted, a DGCA official said that Flight Standard Directorate was investigating the issue. “This (issue) is more to do with the Flight Standard Directorate. These are low-level violations more to do with the discipline, wherein they permitted first of all a person to travel on jump seat and then let him sleep on the floor, which is really bad,” the official said.