Air India promotes employee for honesty

Honesty pays! Air India has honoured one of its security personnel for showing exemplary honesty and professional integrity by giving him an out-of-turn promotion.

Subhash Chander, presently posted in the security wing of the airline, has been promoted to the rank of officer (security) for his “exemplary conduct” by Air India chairman and managing director Aswani Lohani.

According to the airline, this is the first time that Air India has given an out-of-turn promotion to an employee for honesty. “On August 15, during the pipping ceremony, AI’s executive director for security, Alok Singh (IPS) conferred upon Chander stripes of the rank of officer, security,” it said.

Chander, a science graduate who has undertaken several courses in aviation security, is serving the national carrier for the past 28 years. On several occasions, he has returned valuables, cash and belongings left behind by passengers on aircraft.

“Chander has returned valuables left by passengers and in all these cases the passengers were not aware of their misplaced articles till returned to them,” Air India said.

He demonstrated a high level of integrity and alertness to trace a passenger who forgot a substantial amount of cash in the aircraft on June 13 this year. He spotted a pouch containing US$ 6,056 and Euro 1,290 (valued around Rs 5,06,820), while carrying out the aircraft check and subsequently restored the amount to the passenger.

In another incident 13 years ago, he found a handbag of a passenger in a flight bound for Saudi Arabia from Bhopal containing approximately 1 kg of gold ornaments.

Chander traced the passenger and restored the bag to the owner. Another incident found Chander restoring a pouch containing Rs 7-8 lakh to a passenger.