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HomeIndiaDGCA to counsel airline crew as mid-flight TikTok videos flood the web

DGCA to counsel airline crew as mid-flight TikTok videos flood the web

A TikTok video of a SpiceJet crew member ‘modelling’ down an aircraft aisle went viral Monday.

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New Delhi: The surge of TikTok videos filmed by airline crew, often mid-flight and at times in the cockpit, has caught the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s attention and the regulator is not pleased.

As yet another TikTok video of a crew member “modelling” down the aisle of an aircraft went viral Monday, a senior DGCA official told ThePrint that the trend was “not desirable at all”.

“We have checked those videos,” the official added. “This not desirable at all and we will counsel them all on this.”

TikTok is a social media app where users can film short videos that involve lip-sync to dialogues and lyrics, or other antics. It enjoys viral popularity, and has over 500 million downloads on the Google Play Store alone.

Airline crew seem to have caught on to the trend as well, filming videos displaying all manner of antics, be it dancing to Bollywood numbers, or giving followers a view from the cockpit.

Under hashtags such as “#Pilotslife”, “#crewlife”, and “#flightattendant”, there are hundreds of videos on TikTok showing airline crew with babies on board, chatting with fellow crew members, and even shutting the exit door of the aircraft.

Among Indian airlines, the staff of SpiceJet — as in the ramp walk video — and IndiGo are most commonly seen in the videos.

The DGCA is frowning upon these videos because airline crew are not allowed to take photographs during any phase of flight. A 2011 DGCA circular on managing “Disruptions and Distractions” said photography during flight was a source of distraction that may lead to error and reduce safety.

The circular called on air operators to ensure that the crew do not indulge in photography during any phase of flight and passengers refrain from doing so while embarking/disembarking from the aircraft.

In 2014, two SpiceJet pilots were suspended after the crew performed a dance in-flight on Holi and filmed it.

ThePrint reached SpiceJet for a comment on Monday’s viral video, but there was no response.

Two views

The culture of mid-flight TikTok videos, meanwhile, has split analysts. Aerospace analyst Saj Ahmad said “videos like these are irresponsible and do not encourage adherence to protocol and safety”.

“Actions like this (filming from cockpit)… pose a threat not just to the airplane, crew and passengers, but also to the image of the industry,” Ahmad added.

 

However, aviation analyst Mark Martin said India was the only country with such strict rules.

“There are so many videos of pilots and crew members from across the world. Why hasn’t the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration of the FAA) ever taken action against them?” he added.

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7 COMMENTS

  1. When is the DGCA and The Ministey of CA going to wake up ???

    Why Re they allowing so much concessions to Ajay Singh and his Spice Jet !

    Is there some hidden agenda ? Where did Ajay Singh get all the money to revive this Spice Jet after Kalanidhi Maran left ?

    Whose money is this ?

    Ask Modi Ask…..lock Ajay Singh in with P Chidambaram in Tihat

    Where is the IT and ED, Sleeping kya ?

  2. It’s fun, absolutely love it. I’m sure any crew member knows what to do in an emergency. Any crew who has some fun is making passengers happy as well. Pilots however need to stay in the cockpit 👍

  3. This is just stupid. DGCA is a group some old 20th Century folks and they’ve no idea what it’s like to enjoy the modern era and hence they are acting like this. If an accident is supposed to happen, it’ll happen and this so called lethargic DGCA is nowhere to be seen. If International aviation authorities never objected such stuff, it’s not harmful. It’s okay to have fun at work and these lunatics must get it.

  4. NO one in any organizations uniform should be allowed to up load any video or pics either their own or other colleagues with out the prior permission of their HR.
    Today its Cabincrrew tomorrow it couldbe any other profession. Like nurses, junior doctors young lawyers etc etc .

  5. I do not see any harm in such videos or photos as they are recorded when the seat belt signs are off. What’s the harm in a little fun at 30000 ft. DGCA may frame rules but the same should not ve unreasonably stringent.

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