Air India Crew Member Assaulted At London Hotel: Safety Concerns Raised

An Air India cabin crew member was allegedly attacked by an intruder earlier this week at a hotel in London. The incident took place on Thursday night at the Radisson Red Hotel near Heathrow Airport.

The attacker was apprehended and handed over to the police. The crew member was taken to a hospital and is now being transported back to Mumbai, as reported by The Hindu.

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Air India Crew Member Attacked - Here's What We Know

According to an unidentified source quoted by the Times of India, the incident happened shortly after midnight when multiple Air India flights crew members were staying at the hotel. It was reported that the crew member was asleep when she was attacked in her room around 1:30 a.m. by the intruder. She awoke startled and screamed for help. The intruder attacked her with a clothes hanger and dragged her across the floor as she attempted to escape towards the door.

She suffered significant bruises, and the intruder attempted to flee. The police were called, and she was taken to a hospital. Due to her injuries, she was unable to fly back on duty, and a colleague from the crew stayed with her, the source added. The airline's crew had reportedly complained multiple times about inadequate safety, dark corridors, unmanned reception areas, and miscreants knocking on hotel room doors, as reported by The Hindu.

Concerns were raised by pilots about the current law and order situation in parts of Britain, including London, which necessitates heightened alertness. They emphasized the importance of selecting hotels with foolproof security systems for crew members, especially when the properties are located in outer London rather than central areas.

Air India confirmed the incident through a spokesperson, who stated that the airline is providing all possible support to the affected crew member, including professional counselling, as reported by TOI. The airline also emphasized that it prioritizes the safety and wellbeing of its crew and staff members and requested privacy for those involved in the incident.

In a statement, the spokesperson expressed deep anguish over the unlawful intrusion at the hotel, operated by a major international chain, affecting one of their crew members. The spokesperson assured that Air India is working closely with local police to pursue the matter to the fullest extent of the law and with the hotel management to prevent any recurrence of such incidents.