Runway 34: Pilots’ federation rejects claims of Ajay Devgn film being based on true events

Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn starrer ‘Runway 34’ created a stir among the ‘pilot community’ of the country, with the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) stating that the film is based on the unrealistic portrayal. The FIP Secretary Captain CS Randhawa on Tuesday issued a statement, slamming the film Runway 34′. “The profession of airline pilots has been unrealistically portrayed in the movie and may create apprehensions in the minds of fliers,” Captain Randhawa said.

“While we all enjoy being entertained and appreciate the artistic licence of a movie director, a thrilling tale should not be perceived as a true depiction of the extraordinary professionalism among airline pilots who fly thousands of flights every day responsibly and safely without incident and fanfare,” FIP said in a statement.

The federation rejected the claims of the film being based on a true incident. “It is reiterated that the character in the movie does not accurately represent our profession and that the industry has a zero-tolerance policy towards deviant behaviour and substance abuse. Our pilots are committed to abide by the highest standards of professionalism to honour the trust reposed in us by our employers, the aviation regulator and the public at large,” the FIP statement read.

Ajay Devgn, Rakul Preet Singh and Amitabh Bachchan starrer ‘Runway 34’ is getting a good response from the audience. The film is claimed to be based on a real-life incident. But the federation said that it is not aware of the reality portrayed in the film.

“There are more than eight thousand pilots in India who embody the highest possible standards of accountability, training and professionalism. The skills of every pilot are honed to a degree rarely seen in any industry. These standards are borne out every day, as pilots are entrusted with the lives of millions of passengers and expensive equipment around the world,” the Federation of Indian Pilots said.

‘Runway 34’ is a story based on a flight from Doha to Kochi, that had crash-landed due to poor visibility in August 2015, killing several passengers.