SpiceJet de-rosters 2 pilots for celebrating Holi inside cockpit

The pilots had placed a glass of coffee on the centre console of the flight deck in the cockpit while having 'gujiyas' on the Delhi-Guwahati flight.

Indian airline Spicejet has grounded two of its pilots after they were found celebrating Holi while on duty last Wednesday, a spokesperson for the airline said. Both pilots had placed a glass of coffee on the centre console of the flight deck in the cockpit. The pilots did this while having 'gujiyas' (a north Indian sweet dish) on the Delhi-Guwahati flight. The incident took place on the day of Holi (March 8, 2023).

Commenting on the incident, a spokesperson for the SpiceJet airline said,''Both pilots have been taken off the roster pending an inquiry. SpiceJet has a strict policy for consumption of food inside the cockpit which is adhered by all flight crew.'' He added, ''Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken upon completion of the investigation.''

A photo of the celebration went viral on various social media platforms with users calling the act extremely 'unprofessional'. ''Appalling & extremely unprofessional behaviour by @flyspicejet pilots. If the liquid (resting on the fuel cutoff levers) spills, it can short-circuit the electronics affecting a range of systems and compromise the aircraft's ability to fly safely,'' a user wrote.

After the photo went viral, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) took cognisance of it and asked the airline to take action immediately. The aviation watchdog even said a little spillage of the beverages on the console desk could have made things worse. Following getting directives from DGCA, SpiceJet took the pilots off flying duty.