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[RustyNails]

India pilots suspended over Bollywood dance performance to mark Holi on SpiceJet flight

DELHI -- While the world's attention has been fixed on the hunt for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, two Indian pilots have been suspended for joining in with a preplanned airline publicity stunt and allegedly putting their flight's safety in jeopardy in the process.

The pilot and first officer of the March 17 SpiceJet airlines flight were suspended after the first officer left the cockpit to record the cabin crew's well-choreographed dance number on his cell phone.

Flight attendants danced in the aircraft's center aisle at 35,000 feet to mark Holi, the most raucous and colorful event on the Hindu religious calendar.

In a 3-minute video uploaded to YouTube, at least four SpiceJet crew members on the Goa to Bangalore flight are seen dancing to Bollywood hit "Balam Pichkari" while the first officer records the performance on a mobile phone near the cockpit door, which appears closed in the video.

India's aviation regulator said the pilots had endangered aircraft safety and created an "unruly environment." The regulator even threatened to suspend the airline's license, pending an investigation.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation sent a notice to SpiceJet saying the "cabin crew's acts had drawn the attention of other crew on duty, thus reducing their preparedness/alertness."

"The frequent movement of the dancing crew may have affected the aircraft's center of gravity during flight and created turbulence," added the Directorate.

Crews on five of SpiceJet's flight routes were performing the Bollywood number, "to liven up the journey for passengers on Holi festival," according to airline spokeswoman Priti Dey.

"We are looking together into the report in cooperation with the DGCA," Dey said, adding that the cockpit was manned at all times as per DGCA regulations. Pilots are permitted to leave the cockpit during flight, to use the bathroom, for instance.

"The dance was professionally choreographed and was a Holi delight for the passengers, much like it is done by several airlines around the world to celebrate special occasions. The entire dance sequence lasted only for 2.5 minutes," said Dey.

Budget Indian airlines often plan elaborate mid-flight spectacles, in part to make the journey memorable, and in hopes that videos of the performances will make their way onto social networking sites for some free publicity.

Sources said the airline suspended the first officer and the pilot for an indefinite period. The pilot did not leave the cockpit himself, but as the officer in charge, he permitted the first officer to leave the cockpit to film the dancing.

The airline had planned for this event and even carried extra cabin crew members to man the aircraft during the dance number. Generally there are four crew members on the flight, but the jets on which the dance was performed carried two extra, to compensate for some staff being temporarily distracted.

Youtube video of the dance
Actual Bollywood song the dance is based off

 

[ReturnOfTheRAT]

Place and time are everything. Neither work to their advantage. They should be happy to still have a job.

 

[gravitybear]

suspension seems a little excessive. Just 4 people moving mainly their upper bodies. No way the aircraft could "become unbalanced" nor was their behavior unruly.

Glad to know other countries over react too

edit: NICE! I have the exact opposite opinion of first poster. Interesting. The video seriously does not seem bad to me.

 

[Stellactic]

It was planned, they purposely had 2 extra crew members on board, the pilot was in the cockpit the whole time, it only lasted two and a half minutes. Seems harsh to me.

 

[GaimeGuy]

Sources said the airline suspended the first officer and the pilot for an indefinite period.


...


The airline had planned for this event

Fuck the airline

 

[The Smoking Bun]

Viral Youtube Video in America becomes Jail Time in India

 

[Bear]

I'm not a fan of these types of publicity stunts, but the safety accusations sound nonsensical. I really doubt four women waving their arms present any more of a danger than a fat guy taking a dump in the economy class bathroom.

It's a silly practice, but do they really need to sensationalize it this much to justify the punishment?

 

[psylah]

No fun allowed, FOR SERIOUS this time.

 

[Kinyou]

The frequent movement of the dancing crew may have affected the aircraft's center of gravity during flight and created turbulence," added the Directorate.

really? I mean it's like 5 people standing in the middle. How is that much different than going through with a service trolley?

 

[kurbaan]

I love how the airline was the one that planned it. Then suspended the people anyways.

 

[The Smoking Bun]

BTW, SpiceJet is a budget domestic airline that just gives you a bottle of water for most flights and no meals or anything. For anything shorter than 6 hours at least.

And then they talk like they have standards... ha!

 

[Social]

"dancing"

 

[Dennis]

What with the missing jet and all this was amazingly badly timed.

 

[UrbanRats]

Wait, the airline planned the event, but the pilot is paying the price? Is it because the first officer wasn't supposed to leave and that was the pilot's call? Otherwise i don't get it.

 

[AkuMifune]

What with the missing jet and all this was amazingly badly timed.

Yeah I don't think it's ridiculous to expect complete professionalism from everyone working in the transportation industry right now, especially pilots.

At least, for now.