'Terminated for misconduct,’ says Air India after ex-crew alleges dismissal over Dreamliner warning

In its statement, Air India said that it was regrettable that the former cabin crew members are using the tragedy of AI171 to further repeat their falsehood which has been clearly established in our investigation

After a report claimed that two senior Air India flight attendants were sacked as they refused to alter their statement on a technical malfunction involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner door last year, the airline on Friday stated the said cabin crew “members were terminated for their misconduct and behaviour.” The former attendants also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard.

“The said cabin crew members were terminated for their misconduct and behaviour and continuing to falsify critical information during the course of an investigation. The said investigation was launched after an emergency slide was activated while opening the aircraft door post landing,” the airline said.

“The two former employees were given multiple fair opportunities to reconsider their statements, which may have been given inadvertently, as revealed in the investigations undertaken. It was clear in the investigation that the slide could not have been activated unless the door was in armed mode. This was corroborated by relevant data, images and video evidence and as well as third party experts,” it added.

According to a Times of India report, the incident took place on May 14 last year after flight AI-129 from Mumbai to London (Boeing 787 VT-ANQ) had docked at Heathrow and passengers had disembarked. The flight attendants alleged that the aircraft’s slide raft deployed unexpectedly, even though the door was opened in 'manual mode,' a scenario that typically should not trigger the slide, which is designed to activate only when the door is in 'armed' or 'automatic' mode.

In its statement, Air India said that it was regrettable that the former cabin crew members are using the tragedy of AI171 to further repeat their falsehood which has been clearly established in our investigation.

“Air India is committed to ensuring that there is total adherence to the safety protocols and standard practices,” it said.

The report came amid increased scrutiny of aviation safety after the tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad that claimed 270 lives.

The flight crew said their initial statements, supported by the captain and cabin-in-charge, corroborated the malfunction. However, they claim they were later pressured by Air India management to revise their accounts and, upon refusing, were served show-cause notices and dismissed from service within 48 hours.

In their letter to the Prime Minister, the attendants alleged that the termination took place exactly one year prior to the Ahmedabad crash. “We refused to change our statements despite considerable pressure exerted on us by higher authorities,” the letter said, naming three senior officials.

The attendants also claimed that the pilot later changed his statement, saying he was not looking when the door was opened.