Bengaluru: A flight was delayed by over two hours after the cabin crew and the pilot got into an argument and almost beat each other up.

The incident took place on board Air India flight AI-772, when the captain and a crew member nearly came to blows because the pilot allegedly ordered the junior staff to wash his lunchbox.

The incident took place on Monday (June 17) at the Bengaluru airport onboard the Bengaluru-Kolkata flight in front of passengers who had boarded the aircraft by then.

According to sources, a crew member took offence when he was asked to wash the pilot's lunchbox. A heated exchange soon followed even as the flight was ready to take off.

Other crew members intervened but the damage had been done as passengers were left scared and shocked with the behaviour of the pilot and the staff member.

The result of this was that the Bengaluru-Kolkata flight was delayed by 77 minutes. The matter has been reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Air India has issued summons to the crew for questioning.

India Today reported that an Air India spokesperson confirmed the incident and maintained that the pilot and the crew have been derostered pending inquiry.

On the question whether the pilot asked the crew member to wash his lunch box, the spokesperson said, "The matter is under investigation."

Earlier, an Air India pilot levelled charges of sexual harassment against her colleague and commander, who reportedly asked her lewd questions during training in Hyderabad.

Miffed with the bitter experience, the woman pilot submitted a written complaint to the Air India management.

The woman alleged that the commander began to tell her about his “unhappy married life”. She further claimed that he asked her how she coped with living away from her husband and if she masturbated.