Passengers on an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi August 4 went through a terrifying 300-foot drop during cruise,triggering an investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Incident, labeled Serious, has raised worries about pilot's conduct and airline's response after landing.
Witnesses described chaos as severe turbulence hit. Shrikant Jha, a passenger,raised alarm about pilot's behavior,suggesting he seemed drunk. "His gait was off,and his speech after turbulence was concerning," Jha said. He called it a systemic failure allowing a possibly impaired pilot to fly.
Passengers like Renu Raniwala expressed anger over lack of immediate medical help upon landing. Raniwala recounted panic during turbulence, especially among families with kids. "Someone ahead said pilot wasn't walking straight. When flight dropped,I worried for kids. My grandson was next to me,so I held him tight and buckled him up. Hurt my ribs in process," she recalled.
Raniwala said a three-year-old was tossed to back of cabin during drop, showing situation's severity. After landing,passengers waited hours without help. "No care shown post-landing. No one attended us for hours. Even at hospital, no one cared," she said.
Civil Aviation Ministry confirmed both crew members had psychoactive substance tests post-incident. Preliminary results for Pilot-in-Command showed need for further testing,with samples sent to lab. AAIB's final report is awaited.
The plane, with 137 passengers,including three infants and eight crew,landed safely in Delhi despite the scare. But incident has sparked passenger outrage,demanding accountability from airline and aviation authorities.
Jha and others approached airport authorities post-incident, urging medical tests for pilot. They filed a formal complaint with Ravishankar Gaur, head of Terminal 3, insisting DGCA and Airports Authority of India share blame. "DGCA,Airports Authority,and airlines must take responsibility," Jha said.
As probe continues,incident raises tough questions about airline safety protocols and measures to stop intoxicated pilots. AAIB's findings could have big impact on Air India and India's aviation industry...
