In a letter to the airline’s Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani, an association of the Air India Cabin Crew has said Gaikwad must not be allowed to fly until he tenders an “unconditional apology”, and asserted that he poses a risk to flight safety.

The association said that a decision by either the Ministry of Civil Aviation or Parliament to lift the ban will affect the morale of the employees.

“Unless he tenders an unconditional apology to AI employees, and undertakes in writing to abide by the Chicago and Tokyo Conventions & Rules of the Air and follow all cabin safety and public behaviour norms, we must not let him on board,” says the letter.

“For either the Ministry or the Parliament to allow such a person to get away without even a rap on the knuckles or even forcing an apology to all Air- Indians and indeed all Indians, would be a crying shame and would reflect very sadly on the International Comity of Labour workers, and of civilised humans all over.” it added, reports India Today. 

Gaikwad, in a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapthi Raju on Thursday, had conveyed his “regrets” over the “unfortunate incident”, but stopped short of tendering an apology to either the national carrier or to the employee he assaulted.

(With inputs from PTI)

(Feature image source: PTI)