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IA initiates disciplinary action against errant pilot

Indian Airlines has initiated disciplinary action against a pilot for failure to 'turn up to operate' an Airbus A300 flight (IC 173) from Bombay to Madras on Monday night.

According to IA sources, a charge sheet is being issued to Capt Cyrus Patel, a co-pilot, who did 'not report for duty', thus delaying the flight by over three hours and inconveniencing 175 passengers.

The sources said the pilot telephoned the operations department to inform that he was held up in a traffic jam. He was, however, told to park his vehicle and take a taxi to the airport for which he could claim reimbursement.

He was not heard from after that while the passengers had boarded the flight. They were later asked to disembark and told to wait till another co-pilot could be arranged to operate the flight, the sources said.

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