A social media post that purported to show an open coffee cup and pastries in the cockpit in the middle of a flight prompted the investigation of two SpiceJet pilots. On March 14, 2023, an aviation safety consultant tweeted a picture of the scene, in which a SpiceJet logo is clearly visible on a cup. In the post Mohan Ranganathan wrote: “Samosa and tea at 37000ft, cruising at 0.79M! Even a horoscope can’t save you if there is an emergency.”
In the image, two gujiyas, a delicious pastry, are being handled as an open coffee can be seen resting on the cockpit’s controls.
@CaptShaktiLumba @AwakenIndia @leofsaldanha @NarendranKs @OMRcat @jagritichandra @nambath @JM_Scindia Samosa and tea at 37000ft, cruising at 0.79M!Even horoscope cant save you if there is an emergency😡 pic.twitter.com/6UfhnDfzOk
— Mohan Ranganathan (@Mohan_Rngnathan) March 14, 2023
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), according to the Times of India, asked the Indian airline to look into the incident after the image went viral. According to the BBC, the picture was reportedly taken on March 8, when Hindus celebrate the festival of Holi, while traveling from Delhi to Guwahati.
“Both pilots have been off-rostered pending an inquiry. SpiceJet has a strict policy for the consumption of food inside the cockpit which is adhered by all flight crew. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken upon completion of the investigation,” a SpiceJet spokesperson said. While it is permitted for pilots to consume food and beverages in the cockpit, hot liquids like coffee or tea must be covered. If liquids leak into the equipment, it’s possible that the electrics will short circuit, which could result in an emergency.