Air India ground handling partner AISATS requested the resignation of four senior staff members after one of their workplace party videos went viral on social media. The party, as per reports, was hosted only days after the Air India Flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed, killing 259 individuals in Ahmedabad.
The date of the office party caused widespread indignation on the internet, with most labeling the event as insensitive and inappropriate in light of the national mourning after the crash.
To address the outcry, AISATS released a statement through its spokesman, which apologized deeply for the incident and declared the company’s adherence to professionalism and sensitivity.
“At AISATS, we stand in solidarity with all the families who have been impacted by the horrific loss of AI 171 and regret very much the momentary lapse of judgment evident in a recent internal video,” the spokesperson added.
“The conduct is not what we stand for, and strong disciplinary action has been taken against the concerned individuals as we reaffirm our commitment to empathy, professionalism, and accountability,” the company further added.
Disciplinary Action Taken, More Employees Warned
Apart from the forced resignations of four high-ranking officials, the company has been reported to have issued warnings to numerous other employees who were involved in the incident. Sources at AISATS had confirmed that the party was an internal team celebration that got out of hand and was later recorded and shared extensively on social media sites.
AISATS, or Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt Ltd, is a 50:50 joint entity of Air India Ltd (a member of the Tata Group) and Singapore’s SATS Ltd, a gateway services and food solutions market leader. As a result, the company effectively manages airport ground and cargo handling at major Indian airports.
Crash of Flight AI 171: India’s Worst Air Disaster in Recent Times
The Air India Dreamliner heading for London on June 12, however, crashed within seconds after departure from Ahmedabad airport. The plane rapidly lost height and ultimately crashed onto the residential campus of BJ Medical College in Meghani Nagar, just outside the periphery of the airport.
Sadly, 258 individuals on board perished in the crash. However, a sole passenger—an Indian-origin British citizen seated in 11A—miraculously survived.
AISATS has held staff members responsible for the viral video as the aviation world and the nation continue to grapple with one of India’s most fatal air crashes in recent times.