Kingfisher pilot allegedly flies woman in cockpit

Kingfisher Airlines, which is already facing a safety audit by the country's civil aviation regulator DGCA, on Thursday came under fresh scrutiny following reports that one of its pilots flew a woman in the cockpit in violation of rules.

The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked the airline to submit a report and said stern action would be taken if the pilot is found guilty.

Sources said the captain of a Delhi-Mumbai Kingfisher flight had on Sunday allegedly allowed a woman to fly in the cockpit flouting DGCA rules.

This has come at a time when DGCA is conducting a safety audits of cash-strapped Kingfisher and another airline which are facing financial distress as per the civil aviation regulator's audit in December last.

Asked about the incident, Kingfisher spokesperson Prakash Mirpuri said, "We are investigating the matter."

According to the sources, the captain in question, who is also a head of the Kingfisher Airline's pilot training, allegedly allowed the woman to fly in the cockpit despite protests by the cabin crew who termed it as violation of DGCA rules.

As soon as the flight landed in Mumbai, the cabin crew lodged a complaint with the airline management, they said.