Pilot unions seek action against DGCA official

Joint DG Lalit Gupta says he has no vested interest, denies charges

Pilots representing Air India and Jet Airways have sought suspension of a senior Directorate General of Civil Aviation official for alleged high-handed behaviour.

The pilots' demand comes a day after the DGCA filed police complaint against 34 pilots for making obscene comments against its official.

On Wednesday, Indian Commercial Pilots Association, Indian Pilots Guild and National Aviators Guild wrote to civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju seeking action against Lalit Gupta, Joint Director General of DGCA.

Gupta had issued the draft proposal last month on increasing pilots notice period from six months to a year, a move which has upset the pilot community.

The unions have accused the senior official of bias and intimidation and claimed that the proposal was drafted to favour airlines. 

“India is the only country in the world where the aviation regulator has is interfering in such employment matters by promulgating such absurd rules that have nothing to do with its role of promoting air safety. 

Gupta has denied the charges levelled against him. “It is a draft proposal which has been issued for public comments with the approval of the civil aviation ministry. How does that benefit me? I have no vested interest in that proposal.”

On Tuesday, the DGCA had summoned ten pilots from Jet Airways who had wrongly referred to a joint director general Lalit Gupta as joint director in their e-mail to protes against the draft regulation.  

The regulator had directed the airline to check the mental alertness of its pilots since they could not even quote joint DG's designation properly.

Pilots were also told to submit apology letters and were questioned by the police following a complaint from the DGCA. 

They were let off and no charges were framed against them.