Air India Probes Commander Accused of Sexually Harassing Pilot

File picture of Air India flights. This image has been used for representation only. 

(Photo Courtesy: Reuters)

An Air India senior pilot has alleged that she was sexually harassed by an airline’s commander on 5 May in Hyderabad.

The woman pilot was being trained by the commander. She filed a complaint on the same day, in which she mentioned that "the unfortunate incident" took place after her training session.

The airline management has initiated a probe into the woman pilot’s complaint. In a statement, an Air India spokesperson on Wednesday, 15 May, said:

“Air India has set up an enquiry against its senior captain on sexual harassment case after receiving a complaint from a woman pilot.”

‘He Asked Me If I Masturbated’

According to The Times of India, the woman, in her complaint, said that the accused had reportedly suggested to have dinner after the training session on 5 May. She said that she agreed as "I had done a few flights with him and he seemed decent. We went to restaurant at around 8 pm and this is where my ordeal started."

In her written complaint, she said:

“He started with telling me how depressed and unhappy he was in his married life... He also asked me how I coped with my husband living away and whether I didn’t need to have sex everyday. He asked me if I masturbated, etc.”

Air India Pilot

She said that "at some point" she told him that she didn't want to talk about "all this" and called for a cab.

She also said that “all this happened without any prompting” from her side and it left her shocked and feeling “extremely uncomfortable, scared and humiliated.”

She said that even after the dinner, the senior commander kept messaging her, and asked her to meet. When she did not respond, he threatened to come to her room. She texted him back, saying she was disturbed by his behaviour, "to which he replied that he was only providing me with options and there were others who would force themselves on women."

(With inputs from Times of India)