In response to the incident aboard a flight, CEO Campbell Wilson stated on Saturday that the airline had taken action by de-rostering one pilot and four cabin crew members. “Internal investigations are ongoing to determine if there were any other staff lapses, including the service of alcohol on the flight, incident handling, complaint registration on board, and grievance handling,” Wilson said in a statement. “As a responsible airline brand, we have initiated steps to strengthen and improve how such incidents will be addressed in the future.”
The incident occurred on the AI 102 flight from New York to New Delhi on November 26, 2022. The airline became aware of the matter on December 28, over a month after the incident, and the accused, , was . Wilson mentioned that the airline is providing ongoing support to the affected passengers and their well-being. After the incident, the airline started corresponding with the victim’s family on November 30 and initiated a refund for the ticket on December 2, which the family acknowledged receiving on December 16.
On December 10, the airline began the process of forming an internal committee as prescribed by the DGCA, consisting of a retired judge, a passengers’ association representative, and a representative from another Indian commercial airline. The file was passed to the committee on December 20, and a 30-day interim travel ban was imposed on the accused, according to the CEO.
The statement also mentioned that the airline held four meetings between senior staff, the victim, and her family on December 20, 21, 26, and 30, 2022, to discuss actions being taken and progress. “When the victim’s family requested that Air India lodge a police report during the meeting on December 26, it did so on December 28, 2022,” the statement read.
Wilson also announced that the airline is implementing a program to enhance the crew’s awareness of and compliance with policies on handling incidents and unruly passengers. The program will include a review of the airline’s policy on in-flight alcohol service and the frequency of internal committee meetings to ensure timely assessment of incidents and decisions.
