SpiceJet pilots grounded for coffee cup in cockpit: What do Indian aviation rules say?

A cup full of beverage inside a cockpit has landed two SpiceJet pilots in trouble.

The private Indian airline has grounded its pilots after a picture of an open coffee cup perched on the flight deck’s centre console was widely shared on social media earlier this week.

While the pilots are not visible in the image, the cup – which had the airline’s logo​ – can be seen dangerously placed on a start lever of the plane. The hands of the pilots holding gujiyas – a sweet dish – can also be seen.

The viral photo prompted outrage online with many calling out the pilots over their purported reckless behaviour.

A SpiceJet spokesperson has said that both pilots have been taken off the roster pending an inquiry.

“SpiceJet has a strict policy (regarding) consumption of food inside the cockpit which is adhered by all flight crew. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken upon completion of the investigation,” the spokesperson told CNN.

Why has the incident caused furore? What do the aviation rules say? Let’s understand.

‘Criminal act’

The picture was taken when the aircraft was cruising at 37,000 feet at a speed of 975 kmph, as per The Times of India (TOI). 

The incident took place on the Spicejet Delhi flight bound for Assam’s Guwahati on 8 March, the day when the Holi festival was celebrated this year.

⁦@CaptShaktiLumba⁩ ⁦@AwakenIndia⁩ ⁦@leofsaldanha⁩ ⁦@NarendranKs⁩ ⁦@OMRcat⁩ ⁦@jagritichandra⁩ ⁦@nambath⁩ ⁦@JM_Scindia⁩ Samosa and tea at 37000ft, cruising at 0.79M!Even horoscope cant save you if there is an emergency😡 pic.twitter.com/6UfhnDfzOk

— Mohan Ranganathan (@Mohan_Rngnathan) March 14, 2023

After the image made rounds on the internet this week, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday directed the airliner to identify the crew members and take action.

Experts and senior pilots also expressed concerns over the incident. A source told PTI that if the drink would have spilled, it could have led to a short circuit, creating a safety hazard and endangering the safety of everyone on board.

“Even the slightest turbulence and coffee spills on to the electronics, it will foul the systems. This is a criminal act,” aviation expert Mohan Ranganathan said, as per BBC.

It is believed Ranganathan first shared the picture on Twitter which he told The Hindu he had received from a “pilot friend”.

A pilot explained that if there is a sudden movement, the drink would spill on the “engine and auxillary power unit fire fighting system, and disable them and in the worst case, even hamper the communication system, reported The Hindu.

“The coffee cup has been put on the aircraft’s fuel levers in the middle of the centre console. Right below is the engine and (auxiliary power unit’s) fire control switches. If the coffee spills and falls on to the fire panel, it could trigger a short circuit triggering a false fire warning. The crew will have to discharge fire bottles and declare an emergency. The cost to company will be prohibitive,” a senior pilot told TOI.

There is a network of electrical wiring beneath the central pedestal console that is key to controlling the plane. If a hot beverage spills, it can overheat the technical equipment, noted CNN. 

Hitting out at the pilots, Shakti Lumba, a retired pilot and former head of operations of Indian carrier IndiGo, told CNN that their “feel-good social media photo-op” was “immature” and “undesirable”.

“It was totally inexplicable behavior. All pilots are aware of the dangers of spilled liquids in the cockpit,” he added.

ALSO READ: What’s the punishment for urinating on co-passengers, fighting on flights? 

What are the rules?

Pilots and crew can have food and beverages inside the cockpit but with certain conditions, according to Indian aviation rules.

All cups must have lids and the cabin crew is required to hold the cup in their hands instead of carrying it on a tray, as per The Hindu report. This is done to ensure drinks do not spill in case of turbulence.

Furthermore, the cup has to be given to the pilots from the sides, not from the centre of the cockpit, the report added.

Pilots and crew can have food and beverages inside the cockpit but with certain conditions. Reuters (Representational Image)

As per Lumba, most airlines and aviation regulations ban keeping any foods and liquids on the central pedestal console, CNN reported.

Also, India’s aviation regulator does not allow photography inside the cockpit, as per The Hindu.

In 2019, DGCA had restricted travel in the cockpit jump seat. It said no person can enter the cockpit and occupy the jump seat during flight time. The restriction was not applicable to crew members or “an officer of the Civil Aviation Department of India Meteorological Department, authorised by the DGCA to perform official duties”.

All European Union countries as well as the United States also have strict rules that have to be followed in the cockpit.

They adhere to sterile flight deck procedures which mandate pilots to focus on “their essential operational activities” and “avoid non-essential conversations”, reported The Telegraph. This rule applies during taxiing, take-off, landing, and when operating under 10,000 feet.

Under the Sterile Cockpit Rule, US Federal Aviation Administration prohibits flight crew members or pilots from “eating meals, engaging in nonessential conversations… and nonessentials communications between the cabin and cockpit crews, and reading publications not related to the proper conduct of the flight”.

With inputs from agencies

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