An Air India cabin crew member was assaulted by an intruder at a London hotel earlier this week, stated media reports. The airline said it is pursuing the matter with the local police.
Sources in the know said a homeless man barged into the room at the hotel where the female cabin crew was staying and assaulted her. As she shouted, others staying nearby came and rescued her and the person was caught, they added.
One of the sources said the cabin crew was allegedly sexually assaulted at the hotel while two other sources claimed it was a physical assault. The incident happened at a star hotel near the London Heathrow airport. The cabin crew member has returned to India and is undergoing counselling, the sources added.
After the incident came to light, airline employees took to the airline's internal communication platform to complain about safety issues.
One of them claimed hotel staff was unavailable at night and that there is no control over access to the premises, one of the sources said.
The airline in the statement said it is providing all possible support to the colleague and their broader team, including professional counselling.
Reacting to the incident, former Union Minister Manish Tewari slammed the airline, saying the Tata companies owned Air India chose to do nothing about it (assault incident) and therefore deliberately put the cabin crew at risk.
"The news report pertaining to the sexual assault on an @airindia. Crew Member in London is very disturbing. What makes it even more galling is that the Cabin Crew had been repeatedly complaining about the lack of Security in the hotel in London, inadequate lighting and the dark spaces in the London Hotel. The @TataCompanies owned @AirIndia chose to do nothing about it & therefore deliberately put the Cabin Crew at risk," Tewari posted on X.
Air India spokesperson on Sunday released a statement asserting that a police investigation is underway in the incident.
The airline spokesperson said Air India accords foremost priority to the safety, security and wellbeing of our crew and staff members.
"We are deeply anguished by an unlawful incident of intrusion at a hotel, operated by a major international chain, that affected one of our crew members. We are providing all possible support to our colleague and their broader team, including professional counselling. Air India is also working with the local police to pursue the matter to the fullest extent of the law, and with the hotel management to ensure such incidents are not repeated. We request that the privacy of those involved is respected," the official added.
