Recently, on the occasion of World Pilot Day, an IndiGo Airlines pilot expressed his gratitude to a passenger who brought doughnuts for the flight crew members. He also made a free coffee announcement for all the passengers on board. But what caught our attention was his witty caption. What was it all about? Read on to find out.
Pilot Thanks Passengers For Giving Doughnuts
In a video shared by Captain Manik Mehta, he can be seen telling the passengers over the intercom, “We totally encourage such behaviour and such acts of kindness.” He also asked the lady to come forward and said, “Ma’am, can you please identify yourself? Can somebody just locate her? Are you travelling on staff travel? Are you an ex-pilot, crew member or related to airlines? If you’re not, then it’s a lesson for everybody.” He also made a free coffee announcement for everyone.
Sharing the video, he wrote, “Just a ‘Thank You’ will do…coz eating something that’s not from a known source is tricky.” Which quickly caught our attention because why couldn’t the crew consume it? Well, we figured out the reason behind it.
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Why Can’t Crew Consume It?
Airline crew members, like pilots and flight attendants, generally avoid consuming food or drinks given directly by passengers due to strict safety and security protocols. While such gestures are often thoughtful, there are several important reasons behind this rule. Safety concerns are one of the major reasons why crew members cannot eat food items given by passengers, as they cannot verify whether outside food has been contaminated or contains harmful substances. Another main reason is the security protocols, as pilots and cabin crew are responsible for hundreds of passengers, so consuming unverified food is considered an important security hazard. Additionally, many airlines have policies requiring crew to consume only approved or pre-screened meals during duty hours.
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Recently, back in February, three British Airways crew members were hospitalised after consuming Marijuana Gummies. As per a report by NDTV, three cabin crew members consumed gummies containing marijuana given by a passenger. The unsuspecting crew had an “out-of-body experience” after eating the sweets. This incident is a major example of how harmful it can be if crew members eat any unverified food items given by passengers.
What are your thoughts about it?
Cover Image Courtesy: Instagram/Manik Mehta
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FAQs
Why can't pilot eat food given by passengers?
Pilots cannot eat food given by passengers or, frequently, the same meal as each other to prevent food poisoning from incapacitating both crew members simultaneously.