Saudi Airlines pilot refuses to fly
December 14, 2008 – 5:47 pmNEW DELHI, MARCH 16. The pilot of a Saudi Airlines flight today refused to fly and along with his crew staged a walk-out from the security hold area of Indira Gandhi International Airport here after security personnel on duty found him carrying a lighter in his personal baggage and refused to allow him to carry it on the flight for security reasons.
The pilot, Bukhari Bafayad, not only shouted at the security personnel that “no one can stop me”, but also allegedly misbehaved with them when they intercepted him and other crew members of the Saudi Airlines flight SV-755 at SHA 8 and 9 during the pre-embarkation security check
It was around 9 a.m. during the check-in that the Central Industrial Security Force personnel on duty noticed a lighter in the baggage of Captain Bafayad. They politely told the Captain that lighters were not allowed in the hand baggage.
Though the CISF official in charge of the security hold area intervened and tried to impress upon Mr. Bafayad that there are circulars from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security which clearly State that lighters are not to be allowed on flights and that his lighter would be deposited with the ground staff of the airline, the Captain continued to be rude.
Threatening that he would not take off, the Captain led his crew out of the security hold area. Subsequently, the CISF officials contacted the Regional Manager of Saudi Airlines, Mallik, and showed him copies of the BCAS circular banning lighters on flights.
On the intervention of the Regional Manager, the Saudi crew returned to the security hold area around 9-30 a.m. However, this time again the Captain was caught for he was now carrying the lighter in his pocket.
Again when the security personnel insisted that the lighters would not be allowed on the flight, the Captain went about throwing tantrums and began shouting. And then he also threw his lighter on a table and took off with the flight.