An Indian airline has fired a pilot couple who violently clashed and briefly left the cockpit unattended during a flight from London to Mumbai. Jet Airways took the step after investigating allegations a male pilot slapped his female co-pilot during a heated argument while the plane was mid-air, carrying 324 passengers.

The fight reportedly led to the female pilot leaving the cockpit in tears before she was persuaded to go back in by cabin crew.

At one point the male pilot also left the cockpit, leaving the controls briefly unattended, according to local media reports.


'Consequent to the review of the events... Jet Airways has terminated services of both the cockpit crew with immediate effect,' Jet said in a statement.

The two pilots were grounded last week over the altercation, which Jet had described as a 'misunderstanding' that was 'quickly resolved amicably'.

The confrontation reportedly took place soon after the plane took off.

'The captain slapped the co-pilot and she left the cockpit in tears. She stood in the galley sobbing,' the paper quoted a witness as saying. 

'The cabin crew tried to comfort her and send her back to the cockpit.