SpiceJet Crew In-flight Dance Number Irks DGCA

Friday, 21st March 2014 at 10:52am

If in-flight entertainment is a form of innovative service offered to airline passengers who have to endure a long flight 32,000 feet above, why the simple song-and-dance routine by an airline crew makes any difference?

The budget airline, SpiceJet, has ruffled the feathers of DGCA officials following the performance of its devoted crew of a song-and-dance number aboard five of its domestic flights recently. The crew danced and sang along to a popular Bollywood song.

The airline confirmed that the crew aboard five domestic flights performed the routine as part of the airline's in-flight entertainment service to its passengers during the country's celebration of Holi, the festival of colors that is observed annually to usher in the spring.

The DGCA officials, however, didn't find any entertainment value from the particular in-flight number. It issued a notice to the carrier informing its infraction, referring to the song-and-dance performance by its crew on board.

The performance was caught on video by some of the passengers using their smartphones and posted a few clips on the popular video-sharing portal. The co-pilot who was seen on one of the videos outside the cockpit was already suspended, according to a source.

The airline clarified that the plane was not in danger during the entire course of its flight, adding that the main pilot stayed inside the cockpit the whole time and was even in company with another crew.

The DGCA opined that the song-and-dance sequence could have invited a rowdy audience that might disturb others on board. But the airline spokesperson assured that the crew was trained to handle such things that may occur on board.

Nobody from DGCA office replied to queries regarding the letter it issued to the airline whether or not the airline will face sanctions. It was reported earlier that the low-cost airline's license might get suspended as a penalty. The airline didn't return the call on queries to confirm the sanction, if there's any, from the office of DGCA.

The celebration of Holi is observed annually all across India with people splashing colored water and powder on each other.

The airline has reiterated that the crew's in-flight performance was part of the airline's celebration of Holi. Aside from that, they also smeared the forehead of every single passenger with a pinch of powder to welcome guests during the festivities.

By: Pete Lee.