New Delhi, March 04: State-run Air India Thursday moved to reassure travellers its flights to Kabul were safe after its pilots reportedly threatened not to fly to the Afghan capital because of safety worries.
“Air India flights are absolutely safe,” the airline said in a statement.
Indian media have reported that pilots are reluctant to fly to Kabul due to alleged procedural and technical shortcomings and a lack of emergency guidelines to be followed in the event of poor visibility or a hijacking.
Fears were heightened last week when seven Indians were among 16 people killed after suicide bombers targeted guesthouses in central Kabul last Friday.
India’s Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna said last week the attack was the third on Indian officials and interests in Afghanistan in the past 20 months.
Air India “has been operating safely to Kabul for many years without any untoward incidents and safety violations,” the airline said in a statement.
The pilots’ association could not immediately be reached for comment.
But last month, the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association listed shortcomings in New Delhi-Kabul operations that the group said could jeopardize the lives of air crew and passengers, according to media reports.
—Agencies