NEW DELHI: Praising an extraordinary display of courage, presence of mind, and professional skill that averted a catastrophic air disaster and saved hundreds of lives, Amb. Dr. Rajeev Menon, National Secretary General of the Republican Party of India (Athawale), has formally urged the Central Government to honor Indian pilot Capt. Smit Machaar with the prestigious Padma Shri award.
Amb. Dr. Rajeev Menon stated that during a sudden and high-risk mid-air crisis, Capt. Machaar demonstrated unmatched bravery by keeping the aircraft steady under intense pressure, preventing what could have been a massive tragedy. He emphasized that such selfless valor brings immense pride to the nation and deserves the highest level of state recognition to serve as an inspiration for the younger generation.
Transitioning from individual heroism to systemic safety, Amb. Dr. Rajeev Menon raised grave concerns regarding passenger security and emergency medical preparedness across commercial airlines. Pointing out that current guidelines relying solely on basic first-aid training for cabin crew are completely inadequate during high-stress health or security emergencies at 35,000 feet, he strongly demanded structural policy upgrades:
• Every commercial flight must mandatorily appoint at least one qualified B.Sc. Nurse to professionally handle critical healthcare emergencies in mid-air.
• Every commercial flight must have at least two qualified male cabin crew members on board. Noting that flights are predominantly staffed by young female cabin crew who face severe physical constraints during aggressive incidents, security threats, or unruly passenger behavior, he stressed that male crew members are essential to guarantee robust physical security, crowd control, and safety management.
Amb. Dr. Rajeev Menon asserted that passenger safety is paramount and urged civil aviation regulatory authorities to implement these critical reforms without delay.
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