US court issues summons to Air India

A US district court in Washington State has issued summons to Air India in a multi-million dollar lawsuit filed by a former manager and senior instructor pilot of the Boeing Company.

In his lawsuit filed before a district court in the Washington State, the former Boeing employee, Anthony P Keyter, has sought restitution and amends from Air India for allegedly violating aviation laws, adversely affecting flight safety.

In his capacity as a senior instructor pilot, Keyter was posted in India for two and a half months in 2005 as part of the Boeing team's programme to train Air India pilots after it placed a business deal of more than $11 billion.

The lawsuit charges that during his stay of two and a half months in India, Keyter "observed habitual violations of the aviation laws by Air India", having an adverse impact upon flight safety, endangering the lives of passengers.

"These violations occurred at the behest of Air India's operational management and many of them with the full knowledge and sanction of V Thulasidas, Chairman and Managing Director of Air India at that time," it said.

Keyter alleges that he was subject to harassment, and the Boeing Company instituted unwarranted disciplinary action against him for submitting the safety report to Air India which brought to light such violations.