Air India crew members were suspended after leaking photos of the new Air India One, the aircraft used by the Prime Minister, President, and other state officials.
According to the Times of India report, the incident occurred on the ferry flight of the first Air India One last month. A senior cabin crew member used the chance to take pictures of the plane’s cabin to share with family and friends. These pictures quickly made their way online, showing the cabin layout, seats, and more.
Air India reacted by indefinitely suspending the cabin crew member and cabin supervisor, who should’ve prevented the incident. Additionally, the airline has also revoked benefits from a former pilot who received the photos. Air India also hinted that action could be taken against more officials due to the incident.
Access to VIP aircraft is heavily restricted to prevent any sensitive information about flight systems from being revealed. Even media tours of these planes are also controlled by security teams.
In a statement to the Times of India, an Air India official said, “It’s no secret that the security norms surrounding VVIP aircraft are stringent ones. The crew selected to operate such flights are generally briefed about the does and don’ts. It’s not clear why the crew member thought it was okay to take and share pictures.”