Pune / Kolkata: A huge safety violation on a Jet Airways flight has come to light today morning after a passenger who complained to the airlines contacted NDTV.
A 60-year-old woman, travelling on flight S2-4343 from Pune to Kolkata via Bengaluru, was allowed a seat meant for the crew during take-off and landing. The seat is right next to an emergency exit - a violation of standard procedure.
The woman, incidentally, was the mother of the pilot.
When another passenger pointed out this violation to the crew, the complaint was brushed off and the passenger was apparently told that this was normal procedure for family members of the crew.
The passenger, Suneil Sarawgi told NDTV, that the flight supervisor Aditya Arora blamed the management for not providing extra seats for family members.
However, in a statement, a Jet Airways spokesperson said that this is practiced by many other airlines. "Allocation of crew seats inside the cabin are made in accordance with laid down rules. Once minimum crew requirements are met, the extra seats may then be released to crew members and/or their families traveling on staff travel authority... The occupants of these seats need to be 18 years of age and above and be able-bodied... Same is practiced by many other airlines," the statement said.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has rejected Jet Airways explanation: "Once minimum crew requirements are met, the extra seats may then be released to crew members and/or their families traveling on staff travel authority."
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